CSG Law Alert: Practical Co-Parenting – Why Distance Matters
When parents enter into a custody and parenting time agreement, often the agreement and schedule are based on where each parent lives at the time. School drop-offs, parenting time exchanges, extracurricular activities, and weekday overnights are frequently designed with distance in mind.
But what happens when one parent moves farther away?
Even an in-state move can affect a parenting arrangement. A 10-minute drive to school may become a much longer commute, making it harder to maintain the same schedule.
Transportation challenges, longer travel times, and disruptions to a child’s daily routine can all create new obstacles for both parents and children.
Before relocating, parents should consider how a move may affect:
- School and extracurricular schedules
- Parenting time exchanges
- Weekday overnights
- Travel time for both parents and children
While families relocate for many reasons, it is important to understand how a change in distance may impact an existing custody arrangement and whether additional adjustments may be needed to maintain a schedule that works for everyone involved.
For more information on this issue or other family law matters, please contact the author of this article or the Family Law Group at CSG Law.