There are times when parents and their children feel a little under the weather. In some cases, a parent may not be fit to care for their child due to an illness, like the flu or a flare of a chronic condition. In those cases, it’s a good idea to have plans set up to support the parent who is unwell and to make some effort to continue visitation or custody.
One good option may be to set up a virtual visitation schedule. For example, if you know that your ex-spouse will be hospitalized for a surgery over the next two weeks and will be unable to exercise visitation, you may suggest having scheduled calls, either through a video chat or other means, so that they can still talk to their child. This will help your son or daughter understand that their parent isn’t well and also give them the peace of mind that their dad or mom is still thinking about them.
More commonly, parents may have to take a day or two off work because of bad colds or the flu. Of course, you don’t want to spread the flu to your child, so it makes sense to ask the other parent to keep custody or to find a third party to watch your child for a few days. A quick phone call or video chat when you’re feeling your best is still a good idea to help your child understand why the visitation time wasn’t possible.
Navigating illnesses can be tough, but if you plan in advance, you’ll have options to keep in touch with your child or children.