DEAR HARRIETTE: My parents are getting divorced. They announced it to me, their only child, after we were already hunkered down at their house during quarantine. Now I’m faced with a decision I don’t need right now. My dad is moving out of our family home and into his own house. I love both my parents so much, and I don’t want to pick sides in this fight. But I am now faced with having to make a decision as to where I will live. I am still in college, but I would have the summer off anyway. Because of the coronavirus, I don’t have any idea when I will physically go back to school, so I will be living with my parents indefinitely. How do I decide who I am going to live with? -- Split Decision
DEAR SPLIT DECISION: Divorce is always hard on a family. Divorce in the midst of this pandemic exacerbates an already difficult situation. It is good that you do not want to take sides. Make that clear to your parents. Tell them how much you love them both and do not want to get caught up in their pain.
Realize, too, that you will need to figure out how to balance your time between them. At your age, you are in a position to choose where you want to live. Consider the classic relationship -- splitting your time between the two of them. You may want to help your dad move out and into his new home, since that is a big job. That means in the early days, you may end up living with him as you help him set up his home. Ideally, you should set up a rotating schedule so that you manage expectations. Good luck.