Close quarters, lack of clear guidance, constant changes and children perpetually underfoot have left many parents scrambling to navigate the complicated process of agreeing on rules.

Bridging the parental divide might feel especially frustrating and confusing right now. “Given the current state of the world, everything feels more emotionally charged,” says Stephanie Lee, PsyD, a child psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, “but I want to remind parents that more likely than not you do have tools and skills to handle this.”

The same skills we used to co-parent and work through disagreements before the pandemic (Does she really need to wear a coat if she doesn’t want to?) still apply, Dr. Lee explains. We just need to remember how to use them.

Practice solving conflicts about staying safe with strategies found here