long distance parenting plan

[cowboy crazy]

Yep, sorry I forgot to mention that but because you are the parent moving away you will probably be ordered to pay all travel costs.  But with your medical condition and that being part of the reason you are relocating then they may order the costs to be split.  Who knows it is a toss up.
DH has the 1 weekend per month visit in his court order but we cannot always afford this every month, we try to do it on long weekends but at least it is there and we can use it at anytime as long as he gives her 2 weeks notice.  

[I cry_ in_the_dark]

Moving away from my children was the toughest decision of my life. Everyone's reasons are going to be different. Regardless of the reasons, there are going to be people who don't understand. And as a non custodial mom, I think, makes it all the more harder. It kills me to wonder what people think of me.

But...my children, like it or not, understand why I moved and respect my move and THAT is all that matters. I don't know how old your child is, but discuss with them the reasons you need to move, and make him/her understand that you love them, no matter what. My kids know I am a phone call away, and call me EVERY day, usually twice.

Best of everything to you. And by the way, I'm a Yankee and moved to 20 miles south of Charlotte, and I love it here!!!

[sabor06]

It is my understanding if you move away you are responsible for the costs of travel for the child. My understanding is that you only get them for 45 straight days in the summer. Every other holiday is ok as I see it , the cost is yours to take and summer is too long for all 3 months, no way. rethink and ask for something reasonable

[Kitty C.]

Our LD plan was almost identical, except that we didn't have spring break or an extended Thanksgiving holiday.  DS flew from IA to CA every summer, one week after school was out and returned one week before school started, so that I could get him into doctor, dentist, and eye appts. before school started.  Every other Christmas he spent with his dad as well, sometimes having to take him out of school a day early to make cheaper flights.

I say this in past tense as DS's dad passed away almost 4 years ago, while DS (13 yo at the time) was spending the summer with him.  Very sudden and DS hasn't come to grips with it yet, I feel.

What you are asking for is MINIMAL considering the situation.  In fact, our order was written in 1993 and it was the JUDGE who recommended the child fly back and forth.......up till then, I had no idea a child could fly unaccompanied.  If the distance is great enough and your child old enough (8 y.o. minimum), your child CAN fly by him/herself and don't let your ex even try to wiggle out of that one.  You can contact every airline... they ALL have unaccompanied minor policies that work wonderfully.  

For your child's sake, stick to your guns on this.  You don't mention what the distance is or what kind of transportation would be needed, but others were correct.......all of the transportation costs may be given to you, as YOU are the moving parent requiring this situation.

And tho I sympathize with your medical condition, your having remarried, another child and still another on the way may tell the judge that you don't have any money concerns.  I just hope you have a good atty. who will fight for you.  If you don't, I highly recommend that you get one asap.

[awakenlynn]

We are also long distance.  We get SD:

Every other Christmas break, alternating years Thanksgiving break(from time off of school, til day before school resumes)

Every spring break

Every summer for 8 uninterpted weeks(not to have 1 week before and 1 week after).

We are responsible for the Christmas/Thanksgiving and Spring break transportation  (and we have a copy of the school calendar so we can pay for the airline tickets well enough in advance) and EX is responsible for summer break.

IF either party changes dates are transportation, the party making the changes is responsible for the transportation of that visit.

[daddyinpdx]

I really admire women who do the right thing when they have the power to do the wrong thing. This shows character. I always hear drama about he doesn't do this or that.

[vlad tepes]

i'm about to send my ex a long distance plan. she wants the whole summer from a week after school until a week before school, and she wants it every year. i told her i put in the middle of the order two weeks when baby will be back with me. she flatly refused.  the way i figure it, there might be some years i choose not to exercise it and let baby spend the whole summer uninterrupted there.  but there are other times when i'll want to take trips and stuff too.  even though the paper gives pretty specific dates for my 2wk section, i don't have to have it then. i could have it at the beginning of the summer or the end.  that would cut down on baby's travel too. it's a 13hr drive one way.

but, i'm afraid creature won't sign it.

[awakenlynn]

How old is the child?  That may make a difference to the judge.  If they are older, you may not get the 2 weeks you are asking for.

My husband's ex doesn't do anything with her summer time with her daughter.  She just ships her off to maternal grandparents.  Since she has done that for 2 years straight, we are asking for most of that extra time--for father to have alittle more time with child and for paternal grandparents to have alittle of the time too.

Lynn

[vlad tepes]

>How old is the child?  That may make a difference to the
>judge.  If they are older, you may not get the 2 weeks you are
>asking for.

she's 8. why would i not get my 2 weeks? i'm the custodial parent and it was her mother that moved far away.

[awakenlynn]

Sometimes that doesn't matter.  Ex is CP in our case and we started getting visitation at about 8 ourselves.  In our case, we get 8 weeks in the summer consecutive.  As the NCP, we get to choose the dates.  Ex gets her time the week after school lets out and and a week before school resumes.  

Each court and judge is different.  You can request that you get 2 weeks after school lets out or 2 weeks before school resumes, but just because she moved, doesn't count for much sometimes.  The courts sometimes look at the fact that as the CP, you get (for example!) 42 out of the 52 weeks a year and that gives you a significantly larger amount of time with your child than you ex does.

We get 10 weeks approximately.  Every spring break, alternating Christmas/Thanksgiving and 8 weeks in the summer consecutive.  We pay for transportation for the 1st three listed and ex pays for the summer visit.