Virtual visitation: Boon or bane for divorced parents?

Depending on a person’s perspective, virtual visitation is an example of how technology can improve child-parent relationships or erode them. As the term implies, virtual visitation is a way of using Skype, cellphones, instant messaging and other technological advances to have contact after a divorce with your child.

Virtual visitation might come into play when a divorced parent moves out of Clark County or Nevada altogether, making regular in-person visits rare. While the digital interactions are preferable to phone calls, many divorcing parents are concerned that family courts are going to increasingly allow custodial parents to relocate and rely on virtual visitations to maintain parent-child relationships.

There have been media reports on the frustrations experienced by “virtual moms” and “digital dads,” whose main contact with their children is via computer and cellphone connections.

They yearn for genuine hugs, in-person conversations, side-by-side walks and the understanding people share when they look into each others’ eyes. Perhaps the internet visits are a sad commentary on our times, or maybe they are an example of how technology is bringing us closer, rather than pushing us farther apart. Again, it probably depends on your perspective.

Although Nevada has yet to create specific virtual visitation laws, it is possible for divorcing parents to include the digital interactions in their parenting plans and custody agreements. An experienced Las Vegas family law attorney helps protect your parental rights — and the best interests of your children — in all matters involving custody, child support and divorce.

You can discuss a child custody dispute, visitation rights and child support with a skilled Clark County divorce lawyer who has helped families get through the difficult legal process with careful negotiations, and when needed, vigorous defense of your interests at trial.