How Will My Separation Affect My Children during the Covid period?
                 
It’s hard to predict, but it’s essential to prepare.

                  
Back to school after the holidays and cases are rising. Hopefully an end is in site to our Covid dilemmas.

Many school systems have been working within a system that alternates days physically spent at school with remote learning. This is referred to as a hybrid model.

Now parents have to update their own plans for education, supervision, and co-parenting.

It’s stressful for everyone, but divorce and children who live in two homes make it even more complicated. Divorce agreements did not envision COVID. Parents are scrambling to find workable solutions. Parents need to work together even more effectively now to help their kids learn and grow.

Parenting Plan: Most parenting plans until now only considered where children will be after school or day care. Now plans need to address where kids will learn during the day; how they will be supervised; and how they will get to and from school (busing, parent or caregiver pickup) and each parent’s home.

Child Care: Child care options are quite limited now. All day options for preschoolers and wrap-around programs for school aged kids are less available. Parents are looking for child care providers who will come to a home (or alternate between the parents’ homes). These providers may also handle supervision and outdoor activities for children whose parents work from home.

Previously, child-care expenses were often quite small because kids were in school full-time. Now, supervision may be an added expense in a difficult economic time.

Child Support: Before COVID, parenting was pretty much about evenings and weekends. What might have been a 50:50 parenting plan is now quite different when children are at one house for most of the daytime hours. Expenses are different and child support might need to be reconsidered for this time period.

Quarantine and Illness: While parents have been concerned about illness and COVID risks, not many have had to quarantine due to exposure. If a class or school requires a quarantine, how will that affect the children, their parents, and other caregivers or arrangements

I encourage parents to discuss these issues as soon as possible. As the COVID situation has evolved, further changes may be needed.

Mediating a new parenting plan or drafting a parenting plan by those going through divorce or separation necessitates a discussion on these issues.

Mediation is a great way to create an agreement that works for the couple and the family. An experienced mediator who is also an attorney would be in the best position to explain the law and the options available.

Robyn D. Weisman, Esq., Attorney, Mediator, Collaborative Lawyer, Director of Divorce Mediation & Family Services of New York, Ltd. 1-800-WE MEDIATE with offices in Melville and Long Beach, New York soon to be opening an office in Manhattan as well.