This is the next post in my series discussing how noncustodial parents can make the most out of their weekend visitation time. My last post provided tips on how to plan age appropriate activities for your children over the weekend visit. In this post I will explain why it is important for Las Vegas parents to stick to the visitation schedule which has been ordered by the Clark County Family Court.
Children thrive on routine and count on the structure of visitation
Children need order in their lives. When two parents split up then children may feel as though their lives are thrown into chaos. When two parents have a specific visitation schedule then the children count on having that time with their noncustodial parent. It provides reassurance that the parent they do not live with full time will continue to be in their lives. If the noncustodial parent misses visitation, even occasionally, then it plants a seed of doubt in the child’s mind. Children may wonder what their parent has to do that is more important than spending time with them.
When two parents agree to a visitation schedule it is important for both parties to think carefully about whether they will be able to honor the agreement. If one parent works weekends, travels often, or has some other weekend commitment then it is important to speak up early and work out a more flexible agreement. If you cannot commit to a regular visitation schedule then do not inform your children that you will be following a structured weekend schedule. Missing weekends that the children are counting on can cause significant damage to the parent/child relationship. If you do have to cancel a weekend then try and plan for the variation in schedule as far as possible in advance. Unless a true emergency occurs it is important for parents to keep their quality time with their children.
Missing scheduled visitation sends a message to the Clark County Family Court that a parent is not involved
If a parent’s goal is to someday have more custody then missing scheduled visitation is a way to ensure that it will never happen. When a parent is not consistent and frequently misses weekend visitation then it sends a message to the Judge that the parent is not reliable. If a parent is too unreliable, and the children become distressed due to the parent’s absences, then the other parent has a potential reason to ask the Clark County Family Court to revoke visitation privileges altogether. A Judge will always consider the well-being of the child; if the child is being emotionally injured by a parent’s unreliability then it is possible to suspend visitation until the parent proves they can be more accountable.
If you are not able to attend your current scheduled visitation and you require a modification to your child custody schedule then it is important to have legal representation. Contact our Las Vegas family law firm today for a consultation.
