In the past, courts often awarded sole custody to one parent and the other had very little involvement in their child’s life beyond visitation.
These days, more and more parents opt for joint or shared custody of some description. But what about the families that do not live in close proximity to one another?
Utilizing technology
Distance Parent discusses the impact of distance on a divorced family. Generally speaking, the parent who lives at a distance will feel as though they do not have the same opportunities to connect and build bonds with their children.
While this is true to a degree, technology can really help with the distance parent forming those connections.
These days, it is easier than ever to communicate with people at the click of a button. The parent who lives at a distance can simply discover what method of technological communication their child prefers, and then utilize it. This might come in the form of texts, emails, chat messages or video calls. The options are truly varied and can work for just about any schedule or style of communication.
Maintaining a stable relationship
Through this technology, it is possible to achieve yet another important building block in relationships: reliability.
Set a communication schedule and stick to it. For example, pick a certain time a day to sit down and have a voice or video chat for a while. Choose what days or times work best for everyone’s schedule and then show up every time.
This will show your kids that you have an investment in their lives and are willing to show up and participate, which is enormous for building strong ties.