If your former spouse was awarded full custody, it might seem like the legal battle is over. However, you still have responsibilities as a non-custodial parent. If you shirk from these responsibilities, you might end up facing serious consequences. Here’s what you should do to avoid losing your visitation rights.
How can you stay in touch with your child as a non-custodial parent?
Once the matter of child custody has been settled, you should stick to the visitation schedule that’s been laid out for you. If you can’t stick to the schedule, let the other parent know as soon as possible so that a different agreement can be arranged. Otherwise, you might look like an incompetent or uninvolved parent if you keep missing your visitation dates.
You should also make your child support payments on time every month. Initially, you might figure out an informal arrangement with your former spouse. You could agree to pay your child’s daycare bills or take them back-to-school shopping. Just make sure you keep the receipts and documentation in case the issue is ever brought to court.
You should also make sure you have a space in your home for overnight visits. Your child might not be staying with you permanently, but they still need a place to stay. Set aside a place in your home where they’ll have a comfortable place to sleep and a few toys and books to keep them entertained.
What should you do if the arrangement isn’t working out?
If the current arrangement isn’t working out for you, you might need to hire an attorney. An attorney may be able to help you re-negotiate agreements like child support payments and your child visitation schedule. The attorney might also help you document everything so that you can provide evidence that the current agreement isn’t working out.