Could Your Child Benefit from a Virtual Visitation Arrangement?

Having one’s parents living in two different places is rarely easy for a young person. While kids and teenagers of divorced or separated parents may handle a co-parenting situation well most of the time, chances are good that they subconsciously desire greater connection with both parents, as they do not benefit from seeing both as often as they would like. Thankfully, there are ways to structure custody and parenting plan arrangements in ways that help to meet this need. Adding virtual visitation terms to a parenting plan, for example, can help to bridge the gap between a child and whichever parent is not physically present on any given day.

What Is Virtual Visitation?

Virtual visitation involves connecting with one’s child using various means when face-to-face interaction is not possible or practical. Common virtual visitation resources include:

• Video chats

• Email

• Phone calls

• Story time apps

• Social media

• Online gaming platforms.

Essentially, if a parent and their child are connecting electronically while the child is with their other parent, those connections can be classified as virtual visitation.

Making Virtual Visitation Arrangements Manageable for All

It is important to consider your child’s age, communication style, schedule, and unique needs when crafting virtual visitation terms. Young children could benefit from a nightly bedtime story from whichever parent is not present, whereas teens may prefer a weekly video chat on Sunday nights when they are unlikely to have academic or social commitments.

It is also important to consider the scheduling needs and communication styles of both you and your co-parent when setting expectations. If you travel for work frequently, you may need to take this into account so that you are not placed in a position to disappoint your child by needing to frequently reschedule. If having your co-parent call on a certain day of the week will interrupt a particularly treasured family tradition, plan for that challenge in advance to minimize disruption.

Contact a Creative Hudson Valley Child Custody Lawyer for Free

If you are interested in adding virtual visitation terms to a parenting plan that is already in place or one that needs to be newly drafted due to divorce, know that working with a knowledgeable Rockland County, NY child custody lawyer at Law Offices of Robert S. Lewis, P.C. can help you to make informed decisions about how to craft terms that can benefit you, your co-parent, and your child alike.

To get started, schedule a no-cost, confidential consultation today. By calling 845-358-7100 or by submitting a contact form on the firm’s website, you can start making progress toward arrangements that serve your child’s best interests.

Source:

https://www.nycourts.gov/forms/matrimonial/parenting-plan-form.pdf