Parents who go through a divorce may not always remain in the same area. When one parent moves, the challenge becomes helping the children to continue to build the relationship they need with both parents.
There are several ways that parents can encourage their children to enjoy the available time they have with their parents. These are some tips that might make the situation a bit easier for everyone involved.
Take advantage of technology
Technological advances make communication for parents and children who aren’t near each other a bit easier. Video chats, text messages and phone calls can bridge the gap between in-person visits. Parents can use this time to build memories with their children. They can read a bedtime story or play a board game together.
Plan for quick trips
It may be possible for the parent to make quick trips, such as a weekend, to go see their children. This should be scheduled with the other parent to ensure that they don’t have anything planned with the children.
Avoid overscheduling
It’s easy to overschedule things when children visit the parent they don’t live with. Planning for some downtime with the kids gives them a chance to spend meaningful time with the parent they don’t get to see often. Having a tradition, such as an ice cream sundae and movie night, might be beneficial.
Because of the challenges of long-distance parenting, it’s critical that parents in this situation have a parenting plan in place. Working with someone familiar with these matters may be beneficial for the parents.