Should your child custody plan include virtual visitation?

When a pair of North Carolina parents file for divorce, they must resolve any number of issues pertaining to their children. Child custody can be a complex topic and stressful as well, especially if the parents in question disagree on a specific matter. Most family court judges encourage shared custody agreements when possible because children do best when they enjoy ample time with both parents after divorce.

Nowadays, however, virtual visitation is becoming quite common, although it is not meant to replace in-person custody or visits. Co-parents can provide strong support to their children in divorce by agreeing to allow each other to be easily accessible to the kids at all times. Virtual visits are a good way to do so, and a parent with custody at a given time can permit and encourage children to use FaceTime or other means to virtually visit with a co-parent often.

If a former spouse is attempting to deny children access or to censor a child’s communication with the other parent, it can spark serious legal problems. Parental alienation is problematic in many divorces when one parent tries to turn the children against the other. Sometimes it occurs as a means of revenge against the other parent or because of past marital problems or even due to the fact that he or she was the one who filed for divorce.

North Carolina parents can use virtual visitation to read stories to their children, to check in on the day’s school events or just to say hello. A co-parent should never attempt to impede a parent/child relationship by prohibiting virtual visits or other reasonable communications. A parent with concerns about such issues may wish to discuss the situation with an experienced family law attorney, especially if he or she is considering litigation to help resolve the matter.