Co-parenting after divorce is complicated at the best of times. With COVID quarantine problems over the last year, co-parenting has been become even more challenging.
With so many people being sick and others doing everything they can to avoid spreading the contagion, regular parental visitation has become extremely difficult. This leads to communication issues between former spouses as well as between parents and children.
Because of the COVID quarantine, it’s likely that many parental visitations have been cancelled. In some situations, both parents agree that it’s sensible to forego the usual routine in favor of taking extra precautions.
Unfortunately, parents don’t always agree as to what sensible precautions are in this unfamiliar situation. One household may be on strict lockdown measures while the other is more relaxed. Accordingly, the parent in the stricter household may have decided that it’s best to suspend in-person visits.
The non-custodial parent who may have missed some visits over the last year may be anxious to make up this time. It’s essential to review the terms of your divorce agreement to see if it addresses your ability to make up visitation time that was missed due to illness or another problem.
Usually, make-up time provisions relate to the custodial parent wanting to have the child with them for a vacation or birthday during time that would normally belong to the non-custodial parent.
However, usually there is nothing specific with regard to an illness or quarantine preventing visitation. This is where things can get even more complicated, because if you want make-up time for missed visitations, you will have to rely on your relationship with your ex to try to obtain it.
Communication issues are not unusual between divorced parents. With all of the disruptions to visitation and life in general over the last several months, these issues may become magnified. It is wise for both parents to try to remain calm and look for ways to be a little more flexible and understanding. For instance, it may be sensible to have some make-up time via Zoom or another virtual meeting platform.
After all, you both want what’s best for your children, and that usually involves both of you having a healthy and thriving relationship with your kids.
If you feel that the custodial parent isn’t being flexible enough about allowing make-up time after the COVID quarantine, then give Rincker Law a call at (217) 531-2179.