by Mollie Caplis | Family Law Attorney

If there is one take-away that parents of minor children have learned during the Coronavirus pandemic, it is that you can do anything and everything! Homeschool your children? Check. Work from home? Check. Homeschool your children while working from home? Check, check.

Now that the 2019-2020 academic year and all of the turbulence caused by remote learning are behind us, you may think that you can expect a smooth ride for the summer months. But, if you and your spouse are discussing a separation or already live in different households, I encourage you to consider a physical access schedule for your children over the upcoming school year. An access schedule often includes details such as drop-off and pick-up times and locations, which begs the questions: Will the kids be physically attending school in the Fall and, if so, on a daily basis? Will they be able to ride the bus to school and if so, at the same time as last year? Will you be working from home or do you anticipate returning to the office in the Fall? Do you need to hire someone to supervise your children’s remote learning while you work even if you are working from home? Will the before and after-school daycare options be operating?

As of the date of publication, the educational arrangements for school-aged children are, for the most part, largely unknown at this time. So, rather than scramble at the final hour and be limited by time and resources, it behooves you and your spouse to map out all of the possible scenarios for the Fall and generate as many options as you can for the physical access schedule, work-related child care options, and the payment of those expenses.

Rather than re-invent the wheel, give me a call so we can discuss the best approach for you to plan for the unknown. Parents should utilize the down time of summer to plan ahead for the new academic year. Depending on how well you can communicate and co-parent with your children’s other parent, you may be able to approach this issue directly. But, if not, you should consider a different format, such as attorney-to-attorney negotiations, mediation, or parent coordination, to work toward a temporary resolution in light of the lingering pandemic that we face. In either scenario, you will be better served to have an attorney strategize and advise you on your behalf, as well as to ultimately draft a temporary agreement, which will serve as the new roadmap for the upcoming academic year. Feel free to reach out to me at 410.659.1325 or mcaplis@wcslaw.com.

Visit our COVID-19 Resource Page for more updates.