Top Ten Do’s and Don’ts for Co-Managing your Child’s School Year during the Pandemic
Hybrid learning has created interesting challenges for conservators with school age children. The following are Top Ten Do’s and Don’ts for Co Managing your child’s school year.
Do -
Obtain your child’s teacher’s email address and make sure they have your contact information;
Maintain login credentials for all of your child’s online learning platforms;
Acquire Individual Education Plans regarding virtual and hybrid learning;
Keep current with the school’s policy regarding transitioning classes to in person schooling, school community COVID-19 cases and potential vaccines; and
Check the availability of online instructional parenting sites that might be available through your child’s school or social media.
Don’t -
Disregard the stress a child has dealing with the changes surrounding separated/divorcing parents and regarding their education, lack of routine and need for flexibility;
Ignore the requests of the other conservator to coordinate with you regarding the child’s school work;
Fail to communicate to the other conservator information about the child’s schooling of which they might be unaware;
Be inflexible regarding periods of possession and access (visitation) due to hybrid or virtual schooling requirements, but memorialize changes in writing if the need arises to show the Court your understanding of the intent of the parties regarding such changes; and
Ignore your child’s concerns about this new schooling routine for them.
Changes going forward –
The changes regarding your child’s schooling may be challenging and stressful for both conservator’s and the child. Be flexible during these ever changing times. Be available to your child’s concerns. Be positive and even enthusiastic regarding these changes and let your child see these responses.
If communication is ineffective between you and the other parent, consider utilizing "Our Family Wizard" at www.ourfamilywizard.com which site Conservators are increasingly being ordered by the courts to use to facilitate communication between Conservators.
“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change. Pivot!”