When a parent doesn’t live close to their child, they need to find ways to continue to foster the relationship with their child. One option for doing this is to use technology to stay in touch.
Virtual visits utilize options like text messages, emails and video chats for parents and children to spend time together despite the miles between them. Finding ways to use these visits to benefit the parent-child relationship is beneficial.
Choose a variety of ways to connect
These visits can include a host of activities. Some visits may be just talking and catching up on what’s going on. Others may include reading a book, watching a movie, playing a video game or doing homework together. If the child plays sports or is involved in any extracurricular activities, they may watch videos of those with their parent during the virtual visits.
Keep the schedule consistent
Virtual visits should be treated in the same manner as in-person visits. They should always happen as scheduled unless there’s a valid reason to cancel or reschedule. These visits are only meant to bridge the time between in-person visits, so never think of them as a replacement.
The terms of the virtual visits should be clearly denoted in the parenting plan. This should include provisions for the parent and child to have time to speak freely to each other. Having the schedule for the visits set is also beneficial. It’s also a good idea to have the parenting time for in-person visits in the plan, so both parents know what to expect. Setting up a parenting plan that includes virtual visits can be challenging, so working with someone familiar with these matters may make the process a bit easier.
