Virtual visitation involves utilizing technology such as video calls, messaging apps and social media to keep co-parents connected with their kids when they are residing with the other side of their immediate family. This modern approach to visitation offers numerous benefits for both children and co-parents.
If you have not yet integrated virtual visitation terms into your child’s parenting plan, making this effort may be worth your while. If you set clear expectations and make the terms that either you and your co-parent agree on or the court orders regardless of your co-parent’s resistance, everyone may benefit from this arrangement.
Key reasons to consider this approach
Virtual visitation allows children to maintain a meaningful emotional connection with both of their parents. Regular video chats, for instance, enable kids to share their daily experiences, achievements and challenges, preserving the parent-child bond despite physical distance. Additionally, as children thrive on routine and consistency, virtual visitation can help mitigate feelings of absence or abandonment that might arise from a parent’s physical absence.
Also, the interactive nature of virtual visitation platforms enables children to communicate with their parent in a dynamic way. Whether it’s showing a piece of artwork, playing an instrument or simply sharing a story, these interactions enrich the child’s expressive skills and emotional development.
For parents, being able to see and interact with their child regularly can inspire significant emotional relief and peace of mind. It can potentially reassure them that their child is well or allow them to provide comfort if the child is not.
At the end of the day, virtual visitation can be a valuable tool in a family’s modern co-parenting toolkit, and is generally worth considering.