Parenting Time During Covid-19

Scheduling and coordinating parenting time between two parties who do not get along can be tough generally, but it has proven to be a significant issue of contention between parties during the pandemic. Some parents have unfortunately used the safety precautions put in place by local and state governments to limit or even stop regularly scheduled or court ordered visits to take place. This unilateral decision by one parent can severely and negatively impact the relationship between the parent looking to exercise time and the child and therefore result in litigation. More importantly, not seeing both parents can also put an emotional strain on the children. Having to deal with the pandemic, as well as major disruptions to routines, has been hard enough for adults to tackle but children should not have to also live with feelings of abandonment. Parents should endeavor to safely exercise their parenting time or at the very least be creative in ensuring continued fostering the relationship.