Are we still in a pandemic? It depends on who you ask, but most will say, we technically are, even though we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. What does that mean for your co-parenting situation? Did you and your co-parent work together during the pandemic? Or did you disagree at every turn? If large issues arose, you may have had to return to court to modify your underlying orders, or, in some cases, if you and your spouse did not co-parent well, you may now be going through a divorce.
What does that mean for your future? It is very likely that COVID-19 is here to stay, and it will likely be treated similarly to the flu going forward. However, if it had an affect on your parenting plan, you may want to start the process now to build in parameters in case we see another pandemic, or, simply, to get on the same level with your co-parent about how to proceed regarding vaccinations, masking, etc.
While we are hopefully far past “Shelter in Place,” or “Stay at Home” Orders, we may see them in the future again. Does your parenting plan account for that? Does your parenting plan account for what happens if your child is exposed? For example, does the parenting plan continue as normal or does the child stay with the parent they are currently with? What if schools offer remote learning opportunities again? Are you and your spouse on the same page? Are you comfortable with your child flying? How about out of the country? If you only have basic travel provisions in your underlying order, this could cause potential problems. These are all slightly newer questions that our clients are dealing with on a regular basis now. If you do think that you want to address these issues with your co-parent, but you don’t want to be confrontational, then you may want to consider mediation, out-of-court negotiations, or even a collaborative process to address these concerns.
We often tell clients when we craft their parenting plan that we cannot predict every scenario. It is likely that very few practitioners have recommended provisions this detailed in the past because most people would not have predicted the COVID-19 situation that we have face over the last two years. However, we now have that knowledge it and is imperative that we help our clients to address these concerns in the best way possible.
Ever argue with a woman? Call us today, and let us address your concerns and help you to make a change for the better we can discuss various options to modify, or create, your parenting plan. We can be reached at 203.745.3151 or you can email us at info@wolfandshorelaw.com.
