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Custody during the COVID-19 Precautionary Period!

If you are a party to a custody order, you still must follow the order despite the COVID-19 precautionary period. You do not have the right to unilaterally withhold your child from the other party due to the threat of COVID-19.

If a custodial period needs to change due to the effects of the COVID-19 precautionary period or its effects on the other parent’s work schedule, talk to the other parent about it now and attempt to agree to a modified plan during this time. Put all the modifications in writing, so there is no room for disagreement about the modifications later. Know that the court system expects parents to make decisions at this time in the best interests of your children and not as part of an ongoing effort to exclude the other parent from your children’s lives. If yours is a high-conflict custody case, consult your Parenting Coordinator, if you have one, to discuss the issue related to possibly modifying the custody schedule during the COVID-19 precautionary period.

Make sure to maintain good communication with the other parent regarding the school work of each child, so each parent can help the children stay up-to-date and learning at home. Good communication about each child’s schoolwork will help eliminate multiple problems that could arise.

Also remember to help your children stay in contact with their other parent during this period of time, because your children need the comfort of access to each parent. Each child is just as nervous as you are about this unprecedented change to our lifestyles, whether it’s for only a short period of time or will be ongoing.

This is a time to coparent, not fight, because coparenting is always in the best interest of your kiddos!