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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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