Planning for Parenting Time: Ohio's Guide for Parents Living Apart
Planning for Parenting Time: Ohio's Guide for Parents Living Apart
Planning for Parenting Time: Ohio's Guide for Parents Living Apart
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Long-Distance <strong>Parenting</strong> and Relocation<br />
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS<br />
Children generally<br />
are resilient<br />
following their<br />
parents’ divorce,<br />
and those who have<br />
healthy<br />
relationships with<br />
both parents can<br />
thrive.<br />
When parents live far apart, there should be a minimum of four blocks of<br />
parenting time between the child and parent each year. Blocks of time<br />
should occur over the summer, winter break, spring break and at least<br />
one other block of time. When the parents live close enough to each<br />
other, parents can add once-a-month weekend time during the months<br />
not covered by the four parenting time blocks. When the driving distance<br />
is less than approximately 100 miles, the opportunity exists to add everyother-weekend<br />
contact or long weekends into the schedule.<br />
Holidays and special occasions are challenging <strong>for</strong> parents who live far<br />
apart. As children reach age three, they become aware of holidays.<br />
<strong>Parents</strong> must be flexible, cooperative and allow the child to enjoy special<br />
times with each parent. New family traditions may develop <strong>for</strong> each<br />
household. <strong>Parents</strong> should arrange <strong>for</strong> the many religious, cultural or<br />
national holidays that exist in each home, including family birthdays,<br />
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.<br />
Long-distance parenting is expensive. The cost of travel is not covered in<br />
the child-support guidelines, but in some cases, may be a basis <strong>for</strong><br />
modifying the amount. If the court does not say who pays <strong>for</strong> the travel<br />
expenses, the parents should agree on how to share these costs be<strong>for</strong>e a<br />
move. A cost-saving idea is to have the distant parent do most of the<br />
traveling and not the children.<br />
The county of your residence may have a model parenting time schedule<br />
that includes long-distance parenting and relocation. <strong>Parents</strong> should look<br />
to these models, as well as anything stated in this <strong>Guide</strong>.<br />
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