Are there any benefits to virtual visitation?

For parents living far away from their children following a marital breakup, maintaining a strong bond and being involved in their children’s day-to-day lives can be a significant challenge.

However, thanks to advancements in technology, virtual visitation has emerged as an innovative solution for long-distance parents to bridge physical gaps and stay connected with their children. This kind of arrangement can also benefit parents who live close to their children and simply want to remain in contact with them while they’re residing with their other parent.

5 ways virtual visitation can benefit you and your children

Naturally, you’d rather be with your children in person, but virtual visitation can be the next best thing in several ways. Whether you visit over Skype, FaceTime or some other platform, you can gain the following benefits:

1. You can strengthen the parent-child bond: Virtual visitation provides an avenue for regular and meaningful interactions between parents and children, so they can share experiences, see each other’s faces and freely converse. This can strengthen the emotional bond between parent and child, fostering a sense of closeness and security.
2. You can eliminate geographic barriers to parental engagement: All it takes is a good internet connection and long-distant parents can participate in their child’s important events, attend parent-teacher conferences, help with homework and provide guidance and support, all in real-time.
3. You can easily accommodate schedule changes: One of the significant advantages of virtual visitation is the flexibility it offers. You can work around different time zones, work commitments and other responsibilities on both ends, ensuring that quality time can be carved out for meaningful engagement.
4. You can reduce travel costs: A virtual visitation schedule can reduce the need for extensive travel arrangements, making it more accessible and cost-effective for long-distant parents to still see their children regularly.
5. You create a greater sense of stability for the children: Children thrive on consistency in their lives. By incorporating virtual interactions into their regular schedule, long-distance parents can establish a predictable routine. That helps children feel secure, knowing that both their parents are invested in their lives, even if they can’t be physically present.

While virtual visitation cannot replace physical presence, it serves as a remarkable tool to bridge unavoidable distances. If you’re considering virtual visitation as part of your post-divorce custody plans, find out more about what it takes for such an arrangement to be successful.