Why should I assert my virtual visitation rights?

by | Jan 4, 2019 | Child Custody, Firm News |

In the days of Humphrey Bogart and Fred Astaire, if a parent didn’t have physical child custody, periodic visits were possible, but aside from old-fashioned phone conversations, the parent didn’t get to interact with his or her child more than that.

These days are exceedingly different. Parents and kids have an unlimited number of ways to communicate digitally. These ways include Facebook, Facetime, Skype, text message, voice chat, video chat, email, staying in touch via social media and more.

These “virtual visitations” have become the legal right of parents when they are away from their children, so if the other parent is interfering with your digital time with your child, you might want to look deeper into the issue.

Here are a few of the most important benefits of securing your virtual visitation rights:

  • Being able to help your child with school projects and homework.
  • The ability to read a bedtime story to your child before he or she goes to sleep at night.
  • Having a deeper connection even though you’re far away. Video chats and other forms of interacting allow parents and children to see each other’s facial expressions, which deepens the connection.
  • Parents can see missing teeth when the child loses one. Children can show parents their artwork and other things.
  • See sporting events and attend dance and music recitals digitally.

The benefits of virtual child visitation are clear, but sometimes one parent will interfere with the other parent’s freedom in this regard. Therefore, you might want to codify your right to visit virtually with your children within an appropriately drafted parenting and child custody agreement during your divorce.

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