Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, people of all walks of life are coming together to try and prevent the spread of this virus and help those in need. However, in the world of family law and custody orders, it has only increased pressure and difficulty amongst families and more importantly, the children involved.
No where in a custody order does it state how to handle things during a pandemic but that doesn’t mean that parents can’t adapt and handle things a little differently while keeping their children and themselves healthy and safe.
Below are some tips for co-parenting during a pandemic:
- Communicate with your attorney – Keep in touch with your attorney during this time so that you can follow proper procedures and obtain advice that is appropriate for your situation and visitation schedule.
- Keep a copy of your custody order – If you are concerned with being pulled over during the stay-at-home order during a custody exchange, have a copy of your order so that you can provide it to a police officer as proof that you are picking up or dropping off your child/ren in accordance with your court order.
- Be honest– Be honest with your children if they have questions about what is going on. Kids read things and hear things all throughout the day that may or may not be true and you don’t want to add to that. Be the voice that they can trust.
- Maintain normalcy – Try to keep things normal in this unusual time. To better adjust to teaching your children at home, come up with a schedule that has a balance of learning and fun!
This post was written by Hatcher Law Group attorney Danielle Garon.