For divorced parents, the biggest adjustment to get used to is usually child visitation and custody. Usually, one parent will have the children live with them permanently and the other parent has visitation rights.
The extent of these visitations will largely depend on the custody agreement, but the court tends to prefer both parents to be active in the upbringing of the child. What can you do to make the most of the new visitation schedule?
Careful planning
When your children come to visit, it’s important to make the most of it. While your children may have questions, and you can certainly answer them, it’s important not to dwell too much on previous disputes between you and your former spouse.
Instead, take some time beforehand to think about quality activities you and your children can do together. These don’t have to be elaborate or expensive- often, children appreciate simple and fun activities like going to the park or playing board or video games at home.
Virtual visitation
If you and your children are finding it tough not living together anymore, then virtual visitation can be useful. This is something that can be included in your custody agreement. Virtual visitation includes things like Skype calls, Facetime and other online messages. This can all help to make you and your children feel more involved in each other’s daily lives.
If you have concerns about your visitation rights or feel that the current custody arrangement is not in your child’s best interests, then a modification may be possible. You can’t do this by yourself, you’ll need to request formal permission from the court. Seeking as much legal information as possible will help you get started.