Whether you’re traveling to a meeting or convention in another state or working offshore for a prolonged period of time, working in the oil industry can often mean spending a lot of time away from your home in Duncan. When you have a family, it can be hard to spend days or even weeks without getting to see your children and your spouse.
The distance and time away can put strain on a marriage and increase your chances of a divorce, in some situations. Unfortunately, in a divorce, your work schedule could begin to pose issues for child custody arrangements. If you are gone for a long time, you won’t be able to assert your parental rights. That could hurt your relationship with your kids and leave you feeling isolated and lonely.
Thankfully, there is an option that can help maintain your relationship with your children and continue to excel at your job at the same time. Digital visitation is a great resource for divorced parents working in the oil industry for times when they can’t physically be with their children.
What is digital visitation?
Digital visitation is also called video visitation or virtual visitation. It involves the use of a computer, tablet or smartphone to engage in a video chat with your children. If you have multiple kids, you can do a group chat, or you can schedule shorter calls with each child individually.
The nice thing about digital visitation is that you can make it work almost anywhere you can get an internet signal. That means that no matter how far you travel and how long you’re gone, it will be possible for you to connect with your kids.
You can include digital visitation in your custody arrangement
If you’re already thinking that you know your ex won’t have the kids spend time with you on a video chat program out of the goodness of their heart, you’re in luck. The courts recognize digital visitation as a viable alternative for parents who simply can’t be physically present.
You can request its inclusion in your parenting plan. That way, if your ex refuses to let you talk with your kids, it becomes a violation of the court order related to your custody arrangements.
Complex custody issues often demand legal help
The more difficult or unusual your custody situation is, the more you can benefit from the advice of a family law attorney. If you have a difficult or demanding job and you worry that it will impact your divorce, developing a strategy to mitigate those risks early on is usually in your best interest.
An experienced family law attorney can help you make decisions that will lead you toward a better outcome in your divorce.