Advice for Sharing Custody During Stay at Home Orders

Parents across the United States are battling a new frontier as they juggle work, routine home life, and now schooling their children themselves. The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has turned family life upside down for many families. The parents feeling most overwhelmed due to stay at home orders are those who share custody of their children.

For parents, stay at home orders may upset routines. Parents must consider whether visiting the other household is safe. What if someone is exposed to coronavirus? These are just some of the factors parents must consider right now.

Advice for Sharing Custody Amid Stay at Home Orders

If you are trying to find the best ways of sharing custody during this time, here is some advice curated from experts.

·         Stay Healthy – Both parents and respective households should be consistent in their efforts to be healthy. Coordinate your efforts to model healthy behaviors to your kids. This includes hand washing and social distancing.

·         Be Mindful – Kids are more affected by the coronavirus pandemic than most people think. Kids are resilient, but they thrive on a safe and stable routine. Both parents should be consistent in reassuring kids that their regular routine will return soon.

·         Stay Compliant – If you have a custody agreement or court order, you should stay compliant with the instructions as best as you can. Your agreement may have specific language about handling particular circumstances, such as school being out.

·         Be Creative – Right now, you may not be able to entertain your kids with a vacation or trip to a local amusement park. That means you may have to be creative in how you plan special events during this time. Both parents should be actively involved in planning activities that will keep kids stress-free, happy, and healthy.

·         Be Transparent – You don’t want to worry about your kids, but you should be honest with them about the seriousness of COVID-19. Let your kids know how dangerous the virus is and what they can do to stay safe. Let them know what you are doing to stay safe, and what will happen if someone in the family gets sick.   

Ultimately, parents should find a balance for both households that preserves the strength and health of the entire family.