There will always be times when something comes up that your custody schedule conflicts with. Whether that’s a medical appointment that hits at the same time that your child is supposed to be picked up by the other parent or your child falling ill and being unable to travel, these unexpected issues are bound to occur.
It’s important to have both parents on the same page on how to handle these sudden interruptions. Most cases will be as simple as adjusting a pickup or drop-off time, but in more serious situations, both parents need to know what plan is in place.
Coping with custody in an emergency situation
If an emergency comes up, you can make your custody situation easier by:
- Keeping lines of communication open when possible
- Reaching out as soon as you can
- Being flexible in allowing other family members to pick up or drop off your children
Here is more on each of these tips.
Keep communicating
The most important thing to do is to communicate if there is a sudden change in your plans. For example, if a family member suddenly falls ill and you have to go to the hospital with your children, call the other parent to let them know. They may be willing to come to pick up your child instead of them being dropped off, or they may agree that adjusting the schedule is appropriate.
Reach out as soon as possible
If you had an emergency come up and couldn’t communicate right away, the other parent may be concerned. For example, if you were involved in a crash, you may not have been able to reach out. As soon as you can, make sure that you or your child get in touch to let the other parent know what happened.
Be flexible and reasonable
Finally, be flexible and reasonable. If an emergency happens to the other parent, it may happen to you, too. Be flexible, so they’ll hopefully be the same for you in the future. These are three tips to help if you have an emergency that impacts your custody schedule. Simple communication techniques can make a difference.
