Many schools throughout Maryland have decided to postpone in-person classes until January 2021. For co-parents, this means at least four months of figuring out what to do with juggling sharing custody of their child(ren), homeschooling, and their respective jobs. As if 2020 was not hard enough, now parents who share custody of their child(ren) are left with a lot of questions…
“Will we need to modify our child custody agreement?”
“I can never agree with my ex, how are we going to come up with a solution?”
“How much is this going to cost?”
“Do we have enough time to go back to Court to figure this out?”
Our #1 tip for parents who have a difficult time communicating and coming up with shared decisions is to hire a Parent Coordinator (PC). PCs are trained to help mitigate day-to-day disputes between parents and come to a mutually agreed-upon decision.
PCs understand that the transition to online schooling is going to have a huge impact on people who are co-parenting and will inevitably cause some disputes. In fact, PCs have helped many families as they determined what to do at the end of the 2020 school year earlier this year when COVID-19 became a health crisis.
When you hire a PC, they will meet with you and your ex (virtually, if preferred) to discuss all the options regarding online schooling and what is best for the child(ren) because each family’s situation is unique and different.
Whether you are a parent looking for a faster and more affordable resolution, or a family law attorney looking for help with your client’s day-to-day disagreements, Parent Coordination is the solution.
What is Parent Coordination?
Parent Coordinators (or “PCs”) are non-confidential, impartial individuals trained to assist parties to resolve parenting conflicts outside of court. PCs help resolve day-to-day disagreements between parents, focusing on swift resolutions and allowing both parents to move forward.
PCs have the authority to make certain decisions if the parties reach an impasse, whereas mediation or counseling do not. A PC can resolve disputes regarding minor modifications to an existing access schedule, the selection of extracurricular activities, and other pressing, time-sensitive matters that cannot wait for a court hearing.
What are the benefits of Parent Coordination?
Custody disputes can be exhausting, expensive, and overwhelming. The feelings of frustration and loss only intensify when parents feel that making decisions for their child(ren)is difficult.
For parents, Parent Coordination provides a time and place for parents to meet and resolve day-to-day disputes. The overarching goal is to reduce the effects of conflict on the parents’ child(ren). A PC will also save considerable time, energy, and legal fees—all while removing your child(ren) from the effects of conflict.
For family law attorneys, Parent Coordination allows you to hand over day-to-day disputes to a trained Parent Coordinator so you can focus on the bigger picture items. Parent Coordination is designed to assist high-conflict families in making time-sensitive decisions, like deciding on school schedules.
In Summary, here are just a few of the many benefits of Parent Coordination:
Save time, energy, and legal fees
Finally have your voice heard by the other parent
Come to mutual decisions, or agree to let the PC decide for you
Parents share the PCs fee, which is a fraction of a lawyer's fees
Stay out of court and stop relying on lawyers to resolve day-to-day disputes
How qualified is a Parent Coordinator?
Parent Coordinators (PCs) must complete 100 hours of specialized training and continuing education to remain certified. The training involves learning how to minimize conflict and help parents come to a shared decision. To serve as a PC in the state of Maryland, Laurie M. Wasserman was required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of specified training in addition to 60 hours of mediation training skills. Laurie enjoys helping many families throughout the State of Maryland successfully resolve their disputes.
If you have questions about Parent Coordination, please contact Laurie Wasserman at laurie@wassermanlawoffice.com or 410-842-1070. The legal team at Wasserman Family Law is here to help you.
Important Note: Parent Coordination sessions can be done remotely and while the Courts are closed.