Rational And Reasonable Parenting Schedules During The COVID-19 Crisis

Many parents are worried about their families' health and well-being during these uncertain times, and concerns are cropping up for parents who share parenting of their children. When various government entities and health authorities are recommending and even ordering social distancing measures, closure of non-essential businesses, and self-quarantining, it is no surprise that parents have questions about how to co-parent, especially when parenting orders or agreements require parents to transition their children back and forth between two households.

One question that is coming up with increasing frequency is whether and how this pandemic will impact their parenting schedule. Parents are often concerned about whether the other parent is potentially exposing the child to the virus, by not implementing sufficient social distancing measures or not participating in self-quarantining. Additionally, households with immuno-compromised members may be concerned that a child who has just been in another parent's household is potentially bringing the virus back with them and thus exposing others in the household. Families that are coming back from international travel may also be required to self-quarantine for 14 days or more, which may disrupt the parenting schedule as the other parent cannot exercise parenting time with their quarantined child.

The key thing to keep in mind during these troubling times is that it is important to be both rational and reasonable. It is important to be rational and observe the recommended measures for social distancing, including not taking children to playdates or other gatherings where they may be exposed. However, it also does not do to overreact and refuse to let the child see the other parent, particularly where the other parent is taking every precaution to ensure the health and safety of the child and the family. Parents should keep in mind that both parents ultimately want what is best for the child, and will put their children's health and safety first. As much as possible, parents should work together and cooperate in complying with the terms of any parenting order or agreement, and be flexible in temporarily varying said terms as necessary to ensure the health and safety of their children.

It goes without saying that there are going to be difficult situations where it may seem detrimental to the child's health and safety, or detrimental to the health and safety of others in the household, to continue to implement a parenting order or agreement. For example, if one parent is a healthcare worker on the frontlines where there is a much higher risk of exposure to the virus, that parent may not want to exercise their parenting time for fear of exposing their child to the virus.

In such situations, parents should try to cooperate and negotiate a change in the parenting schedule to accommodate such health concerns. For example, if one parent is required to self-quarantine for 14 days and thus miss out on their scheduled parenting time, the other parent should offer make-up parenting for when the quarantine is over. Both parents should be reasonable and generous in offering make-up parenting time, and not take advantage of a crisis situation to try and gain a "one up" on the other parent by taking more...