The terrestrial impact of the Three Gorges Dam
Stick to a set schedule of calls and video chats to earn your child’s trust and respect. Also, do face-to-face visits as often as possible.
Parental separation often triggers feelings of abandonment and uncertainty for children. No matter the distance, your child needs to feel your presence, receive your love, and enjoy your attention.
While you call at bedtime, read your child their favorite bedtime story. Together, you can name the characters, discuss the plot, and wonder about the ending.
So, how can you co-parent more efficiently? Well, there are two things you can start with.
Once you've agreed with the other parent on a visitation schedule, then it's vital to follow it. You need to also keep in mind travel arrangements, and what your kid might need when staying with you.
A parenting plan is usually a legal document, which can include the child's visitation schedule. A clear and workable plan contributes to healthy parent-child communication and a more civilized relationship with the other parent. It also reduces stress and uncertainty.
Proactive communication is key for long-distance parenting. And as the adult, you need to reach out first and constantly.
Some challenges can appear when you're a long-distance parent. Thankfully, there are ways to cope with common issues a physically-distant parent might experience.
Social media posts and comments can't replace real-life interactions because they're not personal enough. Try to find a balance in the ways you keep in touch.
Parents usually build their communication slots around school and work hours. Try to stick to that, but be ready to be flexible at trading weekends and rescheduling a chat time. Life can be hectic, so you won't be able to plan every little thing.
Kids will appreciate getting a handwritten letter in the mail. It's a nice way to keep in touch and tell them stories. And you might get a cute letter back!
You can also keep in touch on a daily basis by instant messaging over social media if your child is old enough, such as via Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.
In fact, the parent’s physical absence doesn’t harm a child as much as infrequent communication. It doesn’t matter if you’re supporting them from afar, as long as the interaction is consistent.
Many long-distance parents feel guilty and concerned about how their absence will affect their child. But research has shown that long distance itself has no significant effect on a child’s behavior or education.
Maintaining a long-distance relationship with your child can be tricky, but it’s not impossible if you try out the following tips.
Make the most of every visit in order to create unforgettable memories. Both you and your child will cherish these moments.
Small gestures can have a significant impact on your child's self-esteem and willingness to bond. This includes hanging up your child's artwork, and decorating your home with photos of them.
Finding activities to bond over is important. It can be something like playing games together via the internet. You can try out puzzles or age-appropriate video games.
Being the long-distance parent means you won’t know what your kids are doing every moment of every day. And while regular communication is crucial, there’s also a limit. Don't bombard them with messages and calls, and allow some space for privacy. Especially if they're teenagers.
Being emotionally available is important, and this can be achieved from any distance. And it doesn't only apply when your kid is upset. Stay receptive, even in times of happiness.
Your child will handle the long-distance relationship best when they can count on hearing from you consistently. And make sure to keep the lines of communication open at all times.
Perfect parenting doesn't exist. But as a parent, you need to always provide for and engage with your child, even if you're going through a difficult time.
A shared online calendar is a great way for both parents to keep track of their child’s activities. Everyone will also get advanced notice of cancelations or changes.
Find out how children behave at different ages and build a communication strategy accordingly. For example, with a toddler, be prepared to be in charge of communication. And don't expect them to stay engaged for that long, as they have a shorter attention span.
One of the biggest challenges for a long-distance parent is an uncooperative co-parent. But since they're key to maintaining stable contact with the child, be nice and don't fire back. Try to stay on their good side.
Hopefully these tips can help you feel better about long-distance parenting. And remember: being the physically-distanced parent doesn’t have to translate to being disconnected from your child.
Some will experience that their child doesn't perceive them as authority figures since they’re far away. If there's a civilized relationship with the other parent, then this can be corrected with a set of rules.
As a responsible adult, the quality of communication depends primarily on you. Therefore, you need to constantly be creative and invent new ways to keep their attention and interest.
Long-distance parenting can be a real challenge. As the parent living far away, you might feel like the guest in your child’s life. And on top of that, being physically distant can make it difficult to keep track of what is happening in their life. It can feel unfair to miss many important moments, but it shouldn't define your relationship. Because even if you're not physically present, you can still have a fulfilling relationship with your child.
Keeping a solid connection as a long-distance parent requires smart timing decisions, effort, and sacrifice, but it’s not impossible. Learn more in the following slides.
How to maintain a long-distance relationship with your child
Being closer to your kid isn't a matter of distance
LIFESTYLE Parenting
Long-distance parenting can be a real challenge. As the parent living far away, you might feel like the guest in your child’s life. And on top of that, being physically distant can make it difficult to keep track of what is happening in their life. It can feel unfair to miss many important moments, but it shouldn't define your relationship. Because even if you're not physically present, you can still have a fulfilling relationship with your child.
Keeping a solid connection as a long-distance parent requires smart timing decisions, effort, and sacrifice, but it’s not impossible. Learn more in the following slides.