It’s never easy to be away from your children – whether for a few hours, a few days or most of the time.
When parents are together, moving their family isn’t usually a problem. The problem, however, occurs when parents are divorced and one parent is made to be a long-distant parent.
Long-distance parenting is one of the most difficult challenges facing parents who go through divorce. With the divorce rate being so high, it’s an experience that thousands of divorced families go through every day.
If you are a parent contemplating
relocation to another city or state, you must understand that there are consequences for your children. After all, children rely on their parents to make good decisions for them and children also require a daily dose of love, attention and affection.
Keep in mind that not only will you become a long-distant parent, but your children will become long-distant children – your relationship will very likely change. Children lose out on having both parents attending their school or extra-circular events, helping them with their homework, being in their cheering section when need be. Children lose the balance that having two parents provides.
How do I make this work, you ask? If you have considered all of your alternatives and you have no choice but to move, then you and your ex-spouse must work really hard to ensure that the relationship between you and your children continues.
Bear in mind – this is not going to be easy. It requires integrity, compassion, focus and a commitment to the parent-child relationship. You must give it your all. Regardless of how far you are from your children, if you focus completely on them and what they need in order to thrive, it will become easier to take the actions that will meet their needs.
An important key to maintain a strong, healthy relationship with your children is communication with not only them, but your ex. When you lived under one roof, you knew if they were sick, what they did in school, who their friends are, or if they wanted to pierce one of their body parts.
Don’t let communication about daily life change. As the long-distant parent, you must work to maintain your relationship with your children. Unless you keep communications open on a regular basis, you’ll miss a lot about what’s going on in your children’s lives.
Keep your conversations going – use e-mail, text or webcams, in addition to the telephone. If possible, visit, even if it’s for a few hours or overnight.
Even if you reside in a different state from your children, an attorney can protect your legal rights as a parent.
Are you seeking permission to relocate, want to prevent a relocation, or simply need a child custody plan to accommodate for long-distance visitation, the family law offices of Holstrom, Block & Parke have experience assisting parents, such as yourself, in developing parenting plans that protect your parental rights.
One of the primary functions of the family court system is to protect the best interests of children in divorce and post-divorce matters. Different considerations apply to visitation schedules when the parents live next door, across town, in another county, in another state, or even in another country. Our attorneys have experience in all of these types of cases and are here to help you.
If you have any questions or concerns about visitation or any other divorce-related issues, do not hesitate to contact our attorneys today. We are conveniently located in San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange Counties.