Due to the increasingly dynamic nature of electronic communication, virtual visitation arrangements have become increasingly popular in co-parenting and parallel-parenting families divided by divorce or non-marital separation. With that said, because each family’s situation is unique, crafting a workable co-parenting virtual visitation plan requires careful consideration of a family’s special circumstances to better ensure that it meets everyone’s needs in certain ways.
If you are unfamiliar with this term, that’s okay. Virtual visitation involves using electronic communication tools such as video calls, instant messaging or social media to supplement in-person parenting time. This approach can help to ensure that a parent-child bond remains strong and interactive despite the fact that a child must shuttle between two homes until they reach adulthood.
Establishing a workable approach
The cornerstone of an effective virtual visitation plan is a well-defined schedule that aligns with a child’s lifestyle and their parents’ availability. Yet, flexibility is crucial to accommodate the dynamic nature of life’s commitments like work schedules, school activities and unexpected changes, so setting expectations in this regard can involve striking a delicate balance.
If you’re trying to craft a virtual visitation arrangement, the following are considerations that you might want to keep in mind:
- Regular and consistent times: Establish specific days and times for virtual interactions to create consistency.
- Duration and frequency: Depending on the age and attention span of your child, you’ll want to keep your sessions engaging but not overly lengthy. Younger children might benefit from shorter, more frequent interactions, while older children might prefer longer sessions.
- Special Occasions: Include provisions for birthdays, holidays and significant events like school plays or sports days, so that either you or your ex – depending on who is exercising their virtual visitation rights at any given time – can participate virtually.
A virtual visitation plan should be formally incorporated into your parenting plan and approved by the court. This inclusion will help to ensure that the agreement is legally binding and that you, your ex and your child can adjust your expectations in informed ways.