We are going through one of the most turbulent times our country and the world has ever faced. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has disrupted the lives of literally everyone. Our current situation may go on for just a couple weeks, or it could last for several months. As of this writing, no one really knows the final outcome or what the world will look like when this is all over.
As our nation deals with the COVID-19 crisis, divorced parents face many unique challenges. Most of the schools are closed and the kids are at home. But since we are supposed to follow social distancing guidelines, most parents are choosing not to allow their children to go out and play with other kids.
For those who are co-parenting during the coronavirus pandemic, there are a lot of issues that need to be dealt with. First of all, most people have experienced major changes in their schedules. Some have been temporarily laid off or are working from home, while others are working overtime on the front lines to help deal with the crisis.
It could be that both parents are working away from home, in which case you will need to figure out who is going to watch the kids when they are home from school all day. And keep in mind, if “grandma” and “grandpa” have always been your “go to” babysitters, that might not be the best option during the midst of this pandemic as they could be in the high risk group if they catch the virus.
Another scenario could be that one parent is at home and the other is out working. If this is the case, then it would probably make sense for the parent at home to have the kids most of the time, while the other can maybe conduct regular Skype or Facebook messenger conferences in order to stay connected.
Maybe both parents are working at home. If this is the case, it could be an opportunity for the parents to share more evenly in the stress involved with having the kids home from school. With all of this going on, both parents should be actively engaged in the lives of their children, because your kids need you right now. Read more about co parenting.
