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A Guide to Long Distance Parenting for Divorced Parents

By: Author Jeff Campbell

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Categories Guest Posts

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Is long-distance parenting really possible and is it healthy? Here’s a guide to help divorced parents make a success of being a long-distance parent.

Most divorces affect children when they’re younger. That’s because divorces occur during the first 14 years of marriage in almost three-quarters of cases.

This can be tough on the kids. However, when one parent doesn’t live nearby the primary parent, this makes things even worse.

But, you don’t have to give up on having a successful relationship with your kids. Just check out our tips to make long-distance parenting work below!

  1. Schedule Chats With Your Kids

If you want to stay in touch with them on a regular basis, you need to make sure you make speaking with them a routine.

Maybe you chat every Tuesday night or every Saturday morning. Whatever it is, making sure you’re in contact regularly is essential.

Everyone’s busy. As your kid gets older, they’ll start to need to cancel your regular chats. But, keep going to ensure they stay connected with you.

You can even use Facetime or Skype to make sure you see each other’s faces. This can help you feel less far away from each other.

  1. Encourage Meaningful Talks

When you’re living away from your kids, it’s easy to miss the important things going on in their lives. However, you need to make sure you encourage meaningful conversations.

Asking them about what they did at the weekend or how much homework they have at the moment is a good start. But, you want to unearth what is troubling them and what matters to them most.

  1. Don’t Forget Who the Parent is

When you’re far away from your kids, it’s easy to forget who is the parent. You just want to be best friends with your child instead.

But, actually, you need to remember that your kid doesn’t need a friend. They need a parent that is going to support them.

That’s why keeping boundaries and enforcing rules is essential. When there are decisions to be made about your kid’s future, be involved.

Slacking off as a parent is definitely the route to becoming more and more emotionally distant from them.

  1. Take Advantage of Technology 

There are numerous ways that you can perform the role of a parent through technology.

You can set controls on any devices or toys that they use. This can prevent them from doing anything naughty without your permission.

If they have a smartphone, make sure you can track where they are for safety reasons. You can also make sure you keep tabs on their location.

You can also use the internet to stay in constant contact. Post on their social media networks and chat with them on message apps.

You can also play games online together. Playing games online is a great way to have fun together and create shared memories.

  1. Stay in Contact With Your Co-parent

You may have separated or divorced your co-parent under extremely difficult conditions. However, you need to stay a team for the sake of your kids.

Co-parenting means staying in contact on a regular basis with each other. You should always try to display a united front.

You don’t want your kid trying to pick sides or getting the better of one of you. You need to stick together to raise your little ones.

  1. Sending Surprise Presents and Letters

You shouldn’t always try to compensate for your absence by buying them extravagant gifts.

However, writing them a message or sending them a package is a great way to make your presence felt.

This can be a silly postcard from wherever you are. This could make them chuckle and think about you.

Chatting on the internet may be easier. But, sometimes, snail mail makes your kid feel special in the way only you can.

  1. Stay Connected With Their School

You shouldn’t leave your co-parent to handle anything serious. You need to make sure you’re staying in touch with your kid’s teachers.

Don’t simply take your kid’s word for it. You need to be speaking with teachers about how they’re developing in different subjects at school.

If there are any behavioral or performance concerns, then make sure you raise them with your kid and co-parent.

  1. Read Your Kid Bedtime Stories

There are numerous benefits of bedtime stories for your child’s development. This is easy to do remotely.

You can pick up a book and call your kid around bedtime. You could even put the camera on so they can see you before they fall asleep.

This is a great way to connect with your kid by reading them a story from your own childhood or inventing your own stories to send them to sleep at night.

Want to know more? Check out this to read more about how to become a successful parent from a distance.

  1. Try to Make Time to Visit 

Long-distance parenting doesn’t mean that you never see your child. You need to make the effort to visit your kid in person whenever you can.

You also want your kid to visit you. If you have always visited them instead, they won’t learn anything about your life.

But, when you spend time together, you shouldn’t just have fun. You also need to experience day to day life with them as much as possible.

What does this mean? Cooking together in the kitchen or taking them to school in the mornings.

Long-Distance Parenting Isn’t Impossible

Long-distance parenting is really hard. But, there are many things you can do to make sure you stay connected with your child as he or she grows up.

Following our tips, you can play an important role in your kid’s life. You can support your kid in times of trouble and have fun and laughs together.

Do you want more advice on how to be an awesome parent? Check out our blog!

Jeff Campbell
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