Family law issues are tough, especially those that deal with children. For most parents, losing primary custody of their child is an extremely difficult and emotional event. Even if a parent is lucky enough to be granted equal custody by a Pittsburgh family judge, they will only be able to see their child half as much as they did prior to their Pennsylvania divorce. Many parents, however, are not this lucky. There is a large group of parents that are relegated to every other weekend parents, and this quite frankly is not what any parent wants. If you are a parent that has been given child custody rights only every other weekend, we have some tips that will help you make the most out of the time you do get to spend with your child.
1. Make sure the weekend is all about the child. Let your child decide what activities he or she wants to partake in while they are staying with you. Don’t make any plans with your friends or a significant other, unless those plans also include your children. You have a limited time with your child so you should make the most out of it.
2. Do things your child and you love. Whether you and your son have a passion for baseball, or you and your daughter enjoy going to the park, make sure your weekend’s events are centered around something you and your child enjoy doing together.
3. Plan in advance. At the end of your weekend, talk to your child about what kinds of things he or she may want to do the next time they are staying with you. This way your child will have something to look forward to and be really excited about the next time he or she gets to see you.
4. Call and send letters. The two weeks between visits are going to seem long for you, but they will seem even longer for your child, especially if he or she is young. Make sure you keep in contact during this time. Phone calls are great, but for a child there is nothing more exciting than receiving a letter in the mail. Consider sending your child a card or small package once in a while to let them know you are thinking about him or her even when you aren’t together.
Child custody issues are tough. They are emotionally draining for yourself and for your children, so the best thing you can do if you are in this situation is get help. If you find yourself facing a Western PA child custody dispute, contact your Allegheny County child custody lawyers at Taybron Law Firm, LLC. Our attorneys have experience handling all sorts of child custody cases and we will work to put a Pennsylvania child custody schedule in place that keeps the best interest of your child in mind.