For most of us, the COVID-19 pandemic has become part of our daily reality. People have to adjust their routines constantly due to the pandemic, and parents are no exception. COVID-19 has impacted custody arrangements across the country, making it more difficult for co-parents to care for their children. Today, we're exploring how and why.
At Letterio, Shedden & Haug, LLP, we can help you navigate your child custody case or modify an existing custody order. Contact us online or via phone at (845) 203-0997 to learn more.
Increased Financial Instability Is a Problem
Over 40 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. That means many co-parents now have to balance their parenting responsibilities either with searching for a new job or with increased stress in the workplace due to layoffs.
The economic instability can also affect the ability of parents to care for their child financially. It's a nightmare scenario for parents across the US, especially since the economy isn't prepared for a quick recovery.
The Pandemic Could Exacerbate Existing Tensions Between Parents
The pandemic may also result in increased tensions between parents.
Parents who take the virus seriously and take full precautions against it may worry that their partner won't be as serious about safety, for example. Parents across the country are filing emergency custody orders against co-parents they believe are at risk of contracting the virus, either because they're an essential worker on the frontlines or may not be taking certain precautions against it.
Many individuals are more stressed out right now than they are normally due to the afore-mentioned economic stability. Combine that with paranoia about whether a parent is taking the correct precautions to protect their child, and you've got a recipe for conflict between co-parents.
Exchanging Custody & Finding Childcare Is Harder
Even for parents who are on good terms, things aren't easy right now. Schools and childcare facilities across the country have closed their doors. Not only does that make finding childcare more difficult for parents who work full-time, but it also makes exchanging custody at a location such as a school more difficult.
Parents Struggle to Navigate Online Learning
Speaking of school, at this point, most students are bringing it home with them—learning using online learning tools while stay-at-home-orders are in place and schools are closed.
For many parents, this is just one more thing they didn't want to deal with. Parents who work full-time may be concerned their child can't take full advantage of online learning without a parent home to monitor them. Others may not be prepared to help their child use online learning applications or act as a de-facto teacher. For parents who have different academic expectations for their child, this could also cause more conflict in the co-parent dynamic as disagreements about how to handle online learning bubble to the surface.
If you believe your co-parent is jeopardizing your child's safety or taking actions that go against their best interests, filing an order modification case can help you change the terms of your custody order. At Letterio, Shedden & Haug, LLP, we'll work with you to pursue an ideal outcome in your custody or order modification dispute.
Contact us online or via phone at (845) 203-0997 to schedule a consultation with our team.