Long-Distance Custody Schedules for Children

Managing visitation when you live far away from the other parent requires careful planning. Generally, the child lives with one parent and visits the other when possible. Here's what you need to know about long-distance custody schedules.

How to make a long-distance custody schedule for your children

You can create your own custody and visitation schedule (on your own or with the other parent) or you can have a lawyer create it. If you don't want to pay the high cost of a lawyer, you can make a schedule with Custody X Change.

The important of making a long-distance custody schedule in advance

When you and the other parent split up, your intimate relationship as a couple ended, but that didn't end your responsibility as parents. Even though you live some distance apart, your children need relationships with both parents. A long-distance custody schedule ensures both parents will be part of the children's lives.

A long-distance custody schedule benefits your newly reorganized family because:

• It tells the kids when they can expect to see the distant parent.
• It sets communication times between the children and the distant parent, such as a regular phone call.
• It eliminates conflict about where the children will spend holidays.
• It eliminates conflict about when parents can take the kids on vacation.
• It determines who is in charge of transportation.
• It specifies who will pay for transportation.

Is a long-distance custody schedule required?

Regardless of how far you live from the other parent, the family court will require a custody schedule. It will be part of your parenting plan.

You can create a custody schedule with the other parent and submit it to the family court for approval. If you can't agree with each other, you can each create a long-distance schedule, and the family court may approve one. If neither schedule gets the court's approval, a judge will create one for your family.

The family court prefers you create a custody schedule with your co-parent because you know your children's needs best. You also have a better understanding of your schedule. When parents create a custody schedule together, it's usually a much better fit for the family.

What to include in a long-distance custody schedule

When you create a custody schedule as part of your long-distance parenting plan, address every important aspect of visits. It's up to you and the other parent to make visits positive for your kids.

Here are some details to cover:

• Which holidays will the kids spend with the distant parent?
• When can the distant parent vacation with the kids?
• How will your children travel to the distant parent's home?
• How far in advance should reservations be made?
• Who will cover travel expenses?
• How will parents agree on travel arrangements?
• Will your children require a settling-in period after a long visit before starting school again?
• What type of visits will the distant parent have when they come to town?
• Where will the children stay if the distant parent travels to them?
• How often will your children communicate with the distant parent?

When you think over these questions, keep your children's best interests in mind before your own.

What are typical long-distance custody schedules?

These are some popular long-distance schedules:

• Weekend visits (as often as doable for your family)
• Summer and holiday visits only
• A five-to-seven day visit every couple of months (if your child isn't in school)

No single long-distance schedule can apply to all families. Numerous factors determine what's the best long-distance option for you:

• Kids' ages and maturity
• Each parent's finances
• Distance between parents
• Transportation method
• Children's school schedules
• Parents' work schedules

Based on your situation, come up with a schedule that will give your children maximum time with the distant parent while being healthy and affordable.

How children's ages affect a long-distance custody schedule

Travel is exciting and scary for children of all ages. When you're working out a long-distance schedule, age-appropriate visits are especially important for calming nerves.

Very young children, up through the toddler years, shouldn't be away from the primary caretaker for long. Have the distant parent come to them and keep them in familiar areas.

Older children, such as kids in elementary school, can handle overnight visits depending on their maturity, but visits should not last more than a few days. Short and frequent is best. Ideally, meet in the middle to transfer the child because traveling alone may be too stressful for them.

Preteens and teenagers can handle more complex travel arrangements and stay with the distant parent for longer periods. But respect their commitments to school, friends, extracurriculars and jobs.

Tracking how the long-distance custody schedule is working

It's a great idea to track how the long-distance custody schedule is working so you can identify problem areas.

Many parents keep a journal to track how their new arrangements are going. With a parenting journal, it's easy to see patterns that may indicate the schedule needs revising.

If you've identified a problem with the schedule, bring it up with the other parent. If you can't agree on a solution, you may need to go to mediation or back to family court. If you can show that the custody schedule is no longer in your children's best interest, the family court will likely approve a revision.

The easiest way to make a long-distance custody schedule

Creating a schedule on your own can feel overwhelming. You have to be sure to use airtight legal language and can't omit any required information.

The Custody X Change app takes the guesswork out of the equation by helping you build a schedule piece by piece.

Try this with Custody X Change.

As a result, you get a written schedule and a visual calendar. They meet your family's needs, as well as the court's standards.

For quick, reliable and affordable help making a custody schedule, turn to Custody X Change.