Parenting Time Arrangements After Relocation

 Posted on June 10, 2024 in Child Custody / Allocation of Parental Responsibilities

When one parent has relocated - with or without the children - you will need to make a new parenting time schedule. Arranging to transport the children back and forth between each parent’s household can be quite a bit more difficult when the parents live far apart. Depending on the distance between the parents’ households, this might involve buying plane tickets and planning for your children to travel alone as unattended minors. If you had a 50/50 parenting time schedule before the relocation, you would probably not be able to adhere to that schedule anymore. A DuPage County, IL child custody attorney can help you modify your parenting time arrangements.

Custody Options for Parents Who Live Far Apart

Sometimes, a little creativity can help you and your co-parent both enjoy plenty of time with your children. A few parenting time schedule options for parents who live at a distance include: 

• Divide time-based on school schedules - The most common arrangement is for one parent to have the children while school is in session, while the other has the children during summer and holiday breaks. The main drawback is that only one parent is responsible for overseeing the children’s education while the other gets to enjoy the children when they have free time. However, this may balance out because the parent who has the children while they are in school is likely to have more overall parenting time.
• Move the parent, not the children - Consider having the parent who lives far away come to the children’s hometown for more frequent visits. If it is financially feasible, the distant parent can rent a place where the children can stay with him for a week or two at a time throughout the year. Or, the traveling parent could stay at the children’s home if the parent who lives there would like an opportunity to travel or go spend time with a significant other.
• Homeschool and keep 50/50 parenting time - If you were already considering homeschooling or sending your children to a virtual school, you may be able to keep the same parenting time schedule you used before one parent moved or change to a “one month on, one month off” schedule. However, this may be difficult if the parents live so far apart that the children need to fly back and forth. 

Contact a Naperville, IL Parenting Time Lawyer 

Calabrese Associates, P.C. is committed to helping divorced parents adapt their parenting time schedules to reflect changes in circumstance. Dedicated DuPage County, IL parenting plan modifications attorney Michael J. Calabrese has 30 years of experience helping clients with family law matters.