Many parents want nothing more than to move somewhere else and start their lives anew after they divorce or split — but that’s not easy to do when you share children with your ex-spouse.
If you want approval to move out of the state with your child, you’ll need to come up with a workable approach to co-parenting and shared custody.
What do custody arrangements look like in interstate cases?
Coming up with a custody schedule can be challenging if you’ve never negotiated one before. This is especially the case with interstate parenting plans when it doesn’t make logistical sense to transfer your child between yourselves every few days.
Here are some suggestions that have worked for other parents with this issue:
- Ask for longer periods of visitation that work around the child’s school schedule. For example, your child could visit with their co-parent the entire summer and over the holiday break each year.
- Work out a virtual visitation schedule via Skype or another platform, so that your child can interact with their other parent as often as possible. That can help preserve the parent-child relationship and can be a valid substitute for weekly in-person visitation.
- Agree to unlimited electronic contact via telephone, text, email and social media from your child’s other parent.
Essentially, the more accommodating you are about visitation, the more likely you’ll be permitted to move with your child — particularly if your co-parent agrees to the plan.
Which interstate custodial arrangement is right for you?
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to custody. A variety of factors, including your child’s age, gender, health and developmental status, may all impact what’s in your child’s best interest.
A parent’s living arrangements and work schedule are just two of many factors that may affect custody arrangements. Just make sure that you have a good plan and a strong argument ready to present to the court when you make your request.
