In circumstances when a child cannot possible live with both parents at the same time, owing to separation or divorce, a visiting schedule is decided amongst the parents to provide access of care and support to the child. A visiting schedule may be as simple as charting out the terms and timings that the non-custodial parent is allowed to meet the child, or a chart detailing visiting hours and days. Whichever way this needs to be done is at the sole discretion of the person creating the schedule, or the court that is handling the case.
A visiting schedule may include:
• Visit over the weekend on a monthly or bimonthly basis.
• Long weekend visits whenever the child has a day off from school.
• Visits during holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter, or the child’s birthday.
Summer break schedules are also charted out in a visiting schedule, giving the non-custodial parent the right to visit for extended hours, or even take the child away for a few hours. However, if the custodial parent has issues in letting the child out of his or her sight, it is best not to incorporate this clause into the schedule. Here is a standard visiting schedule (in no concrete form) to help you see what it looks like.
Visitation Schedule for Out of Town Parents
Weekends: 1st and 3rd weekends of each month have been awarded for visitation to the non-custodial parent, between 6 pm on first day and 6 pm on second day. This visitation is subject to the following conditions:
• The visiting parent will bear all transportation expenses.
• Both parents are to ensure the safe transportation of the child, and make sure that he or she is not physically or emotionally exhausted due to unreasonable or extensive travel.
School Break (Spring and Fall): From 6 pm on the last day of school until 6 pm on the first day back to school, the non-custodial parent is entitled to the child’s time, provided that the custodial parent has not scheduled appointments such as doctors’ visits or therapies. Between both custodial and visiting parent, each will decide (in a separate agreement) which parent will keep the child during fall and spring breaks.
Summer Break: The visiting parent will be allowed custody of the child for 50% of the school summer vacation time. All expenses and transportation costs will be handled by the visiting parent.
Child’s Birthday: It is the decision of the court that both parents are present at the birthday of the child, and come to a mutual agreement of premises and celebration, in accordance to set visitation and custodial laws.