What to Consider When Time Sharing Over Long Distances During the Holidays

When two divorced parents live far away from each other, holidays and custody agreements are naturally a bit more difficult to work out. This is especially true if the move just happened and the parents need to renegotiate their parenting schedule. Depending on the current visitation schedule, one parent might request more holiday time in order to make up for seeing less of their child throughout the year. No matter what each parent wants, a mediator and attorneys can help parents make decisions in the best interest of the child.

If you’re looking to make or modify a long-distance custody agreement with help from a child custody lawyer in Miami, FL, call the Law Offices of Granoff & Kessler. While every family’s situation is different, here is a list of considerations to keep in mind when you’re making a long-distance custody agreement:

Holiday schedules: Many parents like to ensure that they’ll spend at least one major holiday with their children each year, whether that’s Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Easter or other religious or social holidays. Some parents opt for an “every other year” approach to Christmas, whereas some prefer to always have Thanksgiving and let the other spouse have a winter holiday. Whatever you choose, you’ll want to take the best interest of the child into consideration.

Travel time and supervision: Your long-distance custody agreement should take travel time into consideration as well. How will the child reach the other parent, and who is in charge of supervising this travel? Who is responsible for paying for transport? Whether by air or by car, you’ll need to decide what your child can handle and how they’ll stay safe and protected during the trip, as well as ensuring travels will not interfere with school or other activities.

Regular visitation schedule: When you’re deciding how to handle holidays, always think about the current visitation schedule. While parents should have the opportunity to have at least one major holiday per year, the current schedule might make it fairer to the child to make other arrangements. Mediators and attorneys can help negotiate these issues.

Communication: Finally, you’ll want to decide how the parents will communicate with each other about the child, as well as how much contact each parent can expect to have during the holiday visit. Will the child call Mom on Thanksgiving while they’re visiting with Dad? Will Dad provide regular daily updates on their activities, health and other areas of concern? It’s best to outline these expectations ahead of time so that the holiday itself runs smoothly.

Schedule a meeting with a child custody lawyer in Miami, FL

The Law Offices of Granoff & Kessler offer over 60 years’ worth of combined experience in the divorce and child custody field. When you need to make a long-distance custody agreement, our highly qualified attorneys can provide you with skilled legal counsel and zealous representation both within and outside of the courtroom. Call us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you navigate the particulars of your case.

Categorized in: Child Custody, Child Support