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Ohio family law allows for co-parenting, recognizing the benefits children receive through balanced relationships with both parents. Restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 might make it challenging to carry out your established co-parenting plan. These tips may help you deal with the challenges of these unique circumstances. 

How COVID Can Affect a Co-Parenting Plan

Orders to shelter in place can make it harder to comply with the regular child custody and visitation plan requirements. Timing the transportation of your kids from one home to the other might be more difficult due to changed work schedules.

Vacation trips and social events may be postponed or canceled. One parent may need to spend more time helping a child handle remote learning during the school year because of the child’s needs or the parent’s skills.    

How to Co-Parent Successfully During COVID Restrictions

family-lawYour willingness to be flexible and communicate more with your co-parent helps relieve tension and anxiety for the whole family. For example, if one parent has changes in their work schedule or location, the other might need to keep the children for a longer or shorter time.

Cooperating may include minor temporary adjustments to your written plan. Be open to a practical give-and-take while complying with the letter and spirit of the agreement as much as possible.

Discuss and set up rules for each household to keep the children safe and comfortable. Try agreeing both of you will remind the kids to wash their hands thoroughly and often, help them use masks, and practice social distancing.

Both households might plan on monitoring the children’s activities more closely, particularly time spent on electronic devices, to maintain a balance among education, entertainment, recreation, and rest. Minimize physical contact with others to reduce everyone’s possible exposure to the virus, especially family members at higher risk due to their age or underlying conditions.  

 

If you are co-parenting and need help making adjustments to your plan, seek counsel from family law attorneys at Vernau Law LLC in Granville, OH. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, this Ohio law office provides knowledgeable legal guidance to residents of Licking and surrounding counties. Their attorneys are proud to offer responsive and courteous care to each client. Find out more about their services online. To request a consultation with an attorney, call (740) 587-2637.

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