Child Custody Concerns During Coronavirus

The situations that parents must deal with during the coronavirus are already unprecedented, but when you add the additional complications that come with separation or divorce, the problems and conflicts just escalate. Parents that were already at odds over custody issues are now being forced to navigate around a virus that has upended almost everybody’s lives.

Common Ground is More Important than Ever

Now is the time that parents need to put their differences aside and be a team for their children. Kids are already scared and confused about what is happening around them, and additional stress or arguments at home can only aggravate the situation. 

Co-parenting does not always come easily for everyone, but it is imperative that both you and your ex work together to make joint decisions as much as possible. Unfortunately, stressful situations can often bring out additional reasons to argue. Choose to seek out support from a therapist or mediator if co-parenting is not going well for everyone in the family.

Mediation can also become more crucial as parents can differ in their reactions or decisions regarding COVID-19. While Chicagoland is thankfully not under drastic quarantine precautions as of the time this blog was written, it can be beneficial to review decisions about playdates, schooling, and other events your child will attend with your ex. 

Co-Parenting with a First Responder

Another common complication that is more prominent now during the time of coronavirus is custody arrangements when one parent is a first responder. Safety concerns regarding exposure while in the field has many parents fighting for sole custody to keep the child safe. While an outsider can see the concern from both perspectives it can get quite cloudy when you are the one being denied your children. 

Custody battles surrounding this issue have forced family law attorneys to tread in very unfamiliar waters. Although the law still requires both parties to follow existing custody orders, some have decided to take the law into their own hands which never ends positively. Fighting with the other parent during an already unique and scary time is not beneficial to anyone involved, especially the children.

If you are going through a custody battle or have recently considered divorce, please reach out to Gandhi Selim Law. Our team is here to help traverse this unusual time to help you establish a fair custody agreement and get you and your children back on track.