Worried about your upcoming business trip? Are you concerned that you aren’t spending enough time with your children because of other responsibilities? As you learn and adjust to being a single parent, there will be days when you question yourself and your abilities as a parent. You may find yourself torn between work and your responsibilities at home, too.
It’s important that you understand that this is all part of adjusting to your newly divorced life. It may not always be easy, but with some helpful tips, you can make the most of your career and your custody time.
Planning to travel for work? Get prepped for virtual visitation time
Spending an hour bored on an airplane isn’t something you want to do, especially when it means you’ll have less time with your kids. Why not consider virtual visitation while you’re away? If you’re allowed to use your cellphone or internet on the plane, then consider calling your children, playing a video game together or video chatting. You’ll get to check in to make sure they’re doing well, and they will see that you’re thinking about them no matter how far away you are.
Concerned about late nights at the office? Talk to your employer
One difficult aspect of being a single parent is trying to balance work and raising children. You may want to talk to your employer about having strict times when you need to be at home, at least on the days that you have custody. If that doesn’t work, look into alternatives such as having a family member watch your children at your home until you can get home or bringing your children to an at-work day care facility where you can check on them.
Still struggling with your custody schedule? It might be time for a modification
If you’re still struggling with your custody schedule after taking time to try to resolve conflicts and make more time for your children, then it may be time to look into a custody modification. Perhaps you need more custody time on a weekend, or maybe you need to ask the other parent to take on more time because of your career. Whatever the issue is, you can start by talking to your ex-spouse, then discuss your options with your attorney. If you can’t come to an agreement outside court, then you may need to take your case there for a judge’s opinion.