Divorced parents in Michigan and across the U.S. sometimes need to make special child custody agreements when they live in different cities or states. A long-distance custody agreement can help to allow an absent parent to maintain a positive relationship with a child. Children in long-distance custody arrangements typically live with one parent for most of the time and might spend weeks or months at a time with the other parent.
When arranging a long-distance child custody agreement, divorced couples will need to decide who will be financially responsible for travel expenses. Some couples agree to divide all travel expenses in half, while others decide that one parent will hold the majority of financial responsibility. Regardless of how a couple decides to split travel expenses, avoiding confusion by specifying these terms within the child custody agreement can help to avoid confusion down the road.
Staying in touch
A distanced parent should make an effort to remain in close contact with the child. Even if spending time in person isn’t always an option, a parent can use a variety of technological avenues to remain in contain with his or her child. Social media, texting, instant messaging, emailing and talking on the phone are all practical ways to maintain a healthy relationship with a child. Divorced parents can use these avenues to remain in contact with each other about important information pertaining to the child as well.
When a parent moves away from a child, both parents should work together to ensure that the parental bonds remain strong and healthy. A child custody attorney may be able to help divorced parents navigate the difficulties of making a long-distance child custody agreement that works for both parties while protecting the best interests of the child.
