You and your partner may have ended your relationship, but you both still share a love of your child. Once you no longer live together, however, spending time with your child may become more difficult. Often, either the custodial or non-custodial parent will want to move to another state or country.
Although face-to-face communication is valuable in any relationship, some circumstances could make it rare, if not impossible. However, you may be able to nurture your bond with your child in virtual spaces.
Colorado does not specify this opportunity in its laws, but many parents have found that the next best thing to being with their child in person is to communicate online or over the phone.
Get creative with remote visitation
Technology has opened a world of possibilities for parenting time. You may want to try a few different activities to figure out what works for you and your child.
You can try a few different activities to find the right plan, including:
- Letting your child show you drawings and toys over Skype or Facetime
- Playing online games together
- Recording videos of your day on Snapchat or other messaging applications
- Helping with homework or teaching a hobby
Recently, we heard a story about a father who relocated to London for his job. He knew his daughter loved racing video games, so he purchased two copies of three different online multiplayer games and a pair of headsets for chatting. Denver has a 7-hour time difference with London, so both parents agreed that their daughter could play for one hour every Tuesday after school to cultivate their relationship between in-person visits.
What to do if the other parent objects
Sometimes, the other parent fights against virtual visitation. They may want to limit exposure to social media and games as a general parenting decision. In other cases, they may want to limit visitation in general.
A judge will likely make the final decision regarding virtual visitation. Like regular custody and visitation agreements, both parties must follow the set rules. If you wish to amend your parenting plan to include virtual visitation, you can seek an official modification to foster your parent-child relationship.
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