A Helpful Guide to Co-Parenting During the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people all over the world in ways that no one could’ve imagined. In Canada alone, more than 3 million people have tested positive for COVID-19. Even if you’re not among them, there is a very good chance that COVID-19 has affected your life in some way. As a co-parent, you may have noticed that the pandemic has added some stress to your co-parenting arrangement. Unfortunately, no one knows when the pandemic will end so it’s important to ensure that you and your child’s other parent have the necessary tools to continue to put your child(ren) first during these trying times.
Keep reading to learn more about how you can lessen your co-parenting stress during the pandemic.
Try to Be Flexible
Maintaining a regular schedule is one of the things that can help make co-parenting a little easier. Unfortunately, maintaining a schedule during these times isn’t as easy as it used to be. One of the most stressful things about the pandemic is that things are very unpredictable. As a result, it’s important that you and your co-parent are able to remain flexible so that you can handle things as they arise. For example, if one parent contracts COVID-19, you may need to alter your schedule so that your child(ren) can stay with the other parent longer. Maintaining flexibility makes things easier for everyone involved.
Be Mindful of Safety Concerns
During the pandemic, people have taken different approaches to what it means to keep themselves safe. It’s essential that you and your co-parent have a conversation on what kinds of COVID-19 precautions you and your children are taking. People having differing opinions on things like wearing masks, having guests, eating at restaurants, and avoiding crowds can cause lots of tension in a co-parenting relationship. When having a conversation with your co-parent, you want to stay firm in your stance while also trying to see where they’re coming from. It’s important to remember that at the end of the day, you both want nothing more than to keep your children safe.
Keep an Open Line of Communication
Even before the pandemic, communication was essential to your co-parenting situation. Now, it’s more important than ever to ensure that all communication is clear and effective. Nobody wants to feel like they are being kept in the dark when it comes to their own children. If you haven’t already, you and your co-parent should decide on which method of communication works best for you. This will help avoid any confusion and lessen the chance of missed messages. Keep each other in the loop when it comes to things like changes in your schedule or a positive COVID-19 test. When it comes to things concerning your kids, it’s usually best to overcommunicate. Still, however, it’s important to be mindful of each other’s boundaries.
Work With a Mediator
No matter how badly you want to have a positive relationship with your co-parent, it isn’t always easy to accomplish that. If you feel like you’ve already done everything in your power to ensure that things are running smoothly, you may want to enlist the help of a professional. Online divorce mediation in Toronto can be a great tool for you and your co-parent. A mediator can assist with communication and help everyone get on the same page moving forward.
Check in With Your Child(ren)
Children are the most important part of every co-parenting relationship. Sometimes, however, the adults get so caught up in ups and downs of co-parenting that they forget to check in with the children and see how they are feeling. This is particularly important during the pandemic because the last two years have been just as stressful for children as it has for adults. If they’re old enough, they may let you know that they’d like to make some changes to the routine they have with you and your co-parent. In addition to dealing with the pandemic, you may find that your children are also feeling the side effects of the stress from your relationship with your co-parent.
Create a Plan for Emergencies
When an emergency arises, it can be tough to think on your feet and come up with a good game plan. The last thing you want is to be in the middle of an emergency scrambling to figure out what you’re doing to do. For that reason, it’s always smart to have an emergency plan in place. You and your co-parent should take some time to think about how you want to handle things if either of you or your children test positive for COVID-19. Doing this will make you both feel more confident that you’ll know exactly what to do should an emergency situation arise.
Practice Self Care
If there’s one thing many parents often forget to do, it’s practice self care. Though it can be easy to put yourself on the backburner when you’re trying to make sure things are good with your family, it’s important that you’re also taking the time to take care of yourself. Implementing self care into your routine may make you feel selfish at first, but the truth is that it’s not just good for you - it’s also good for your children and your co-parent. By taking care of yourself, you’re ensuring that you can give your best to all of the people in your life.
There’s Light at The End of The Tunnel
During this pandemic, there may have been times when you felt like you and your co-parent would never see eye-to-eye. However, it’s important to remember that the pandemic will end eventually, and you want to make sure that your co-parenting relationship is still in tact when it does. If you feel like it’s time for a professional to step in and provide some assistance, Unmarry.ca is here to help. Our services are committed to helping people through the divorce process with care and compassion. Contact us today to set up a free consultation.
