Challenges of co-parenting during the pandemic forced some to work together
The coronavirus pandemic helped some divorced parents in surprising ways, according to Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers.
Although the stress of parenting during a pandemic has been hard, it has helped some couples move past long-standing issues and cut costs for those going through a divorce, said Russell Alexander, founder of the Ontario-based firm.
“Covid-19 was a problem for many families, but it was a shared problem,” he said. “That gave some divorced parents a second chance to work through some issues they’ve had in the past.”
Alexander said the pandemic shuffled responsibilities, as divorced parents found themselves working from home, handling remote learning and maintaining social distancing, upending child-care arrangements. With courts operating virtually, that made collaborative approaches a more appealing option for many couples.
He said current divorces handled mostly online and through Zoom court hearings were also cheaper, giving increased access to the justice system. In many cases, divorces handled during the pandemic also led to more out-of-court settlements.
“The pandemic was certainly a difficult time for many families, divorced or not,” added Alexander. “But it helped motivate many divorcing couples to use a collaborative approach and resolve their disputes out of court, which we have found always leads to happier outcomes.”
