What is reasonable phone contact non custodial parent? How often should this contact take place? The short answer is if there is no provision on the custody order about this, then generally, daily one call is considered reasonable phone contact by the non-custodial parent.
Establishing a parenting plan that outlines custody and visitation arrangements in any divorce with children is essential. One of the most common issues in these plans is phone contact between the non-custodial parent and the child. This post will answer those questions and guide parents trying to negotiate a phone contact schedule.
What is Reasonable Phone Contact Non Custodial Parent?
In some instances, a custody order may include a provision for contact between non-custodial parent and child once a day to an unrestricted telephone basis in the child’s best interest. Already mentioned above, if there is no provision on the custody order about this, then generally, daily one call is considered reasonable phone contact by the non-custodial parent.
The call time should be reasonable depending on the child’s age and activities. For example, a young child in school during the day may not be available to talk on the phone during school hours.
An older child involved in after-school activities may not be able to talk on the phone until later in the evening.
You should also consider the distance between you and the child when determining how often to call. If you live in the same city, it may be easier to talk more often than if you live in different states or other countries.
However, you should contact your child regularly to avoid any parental alienation.
Other Factors to Consider:
In addition to the factors mentioned above, there are other things that you should consider when determining how often to call the child. One is whether or not the child is comfortable talking on the phone.
Some children may not be comfortable talking on the phone and may prefer to speak in person or through text messaging. If this is the case, forcing a child to talk on the phone will not be wise.
In this case, you should consider those methods of communication instead of or in addition to calling.
Another factor to consider is the child’s schedule. If the child has a lot of extracurricular activities or is involved in a lot of school work, you may want to consider talking less often so that the child can focus on those things.
The child’s age is also something to take into account. Younger children may need more frequent contact, while older children may be able to go more extended periods without talking.
Ultimately, the decision of how often to call the child is up to you. You should consider all the factors mentioned above and any others relevant to your situation to determine what is best for you and your child.
FAQs on What is Reasonable Phone Contact Non Custodial Parent
How often should a parent call their child?
It depends on the child’s age and the relationship between the parent and child. For very young children, parents should call every day to check in, chat, and see how things are going. As children get older, they may want less contact with their parents; perhaps once a week or once a month will be sufficient.
Can custodial parents block phone calls?
No, the custodial parent cannot block phone calls unless a court order explicitly states they are allowed to do so. If there is no court order, the custodial parent must let the non-custodial parent have reasonable phone contact with the child.
Already you have passed a lengthy divorce process, don’t complicate your life more now by blocking the phone number of the non-custodial parent.
The frequency and duration of the phone calls should be reasonable and consider the child’s age, schedule, and location.
If the custodial parent has any concerns or questions, they should speak with an attorney who is a specialist in family law. Blocking phone calls intentionally might be a sign of withholding a child from another parent.
What if the custodial parent wants to limit phone calls?
If the custodial parent wants to limit the number of phone calls, they should speak with an attorney. The attorney will be able to advise them on what they can and cannot do and will help them to draft a court order that outlines the parameters of the phone calls.
You may try to limit the calls, but you can’t make your child stop talking suddenly with the other parents. It will not serve as the best interest of the child.
Once the court order is in place, the custodial parent can enforce it as necessary. If the non-custodial parent does not comply with the court order, the custodial parent can take legal action against them as it amounts to non-custodial parent harassment.
Do I have the right to know where my child is during visitation?
The answer to this question depends on the custody arrangement that is in place. If you have sole physical custody, you have the right to know where your child is.
If you have joint physical custody, you should be able to talk to the other parent about where the child will be during their visitations.
For example, if you are a non-custodial parent planning to move out of the state with your child, you must inform the custodial parent.
You may consider speaking with an attorney if there is no custody arrangement. They will be able to advise you on what your rights are and how to best protect them.
Can you Facetime on talking parents?
Yes, you can Facetime on TalkingParents app. Divorced or separated parents can now make recorded video calls to their co-parents and kids.
This will help reduce parental conflict and provide a secure, convenient way to stay in touch with your children. Talking Parents brings all communications for co-parenting responsibilities together in one easy-to-use service.
Do I have to communicate with my child’s father?
There is no legal requirement for you to communicate with your child’s father, but there are many good reasons why you should consider doing so.
First and foremost, communication can help reduce conflict between you and the father, which can benefit your child. Effective communication can also help ensure that both parents are on the same page when making decisions about their child’s upbringing.
If you get an emergency custody order and don’t communicate with the other parents, they may use this ground to overturn the emergency custody order in their favour.
If you are interested to know more rights of a non-custodial parent, you can watch this discussion by Angel Brown, A Lawyer for Duffee-Eitzen LLP:
Conclusion:
In conclusion, it can be said that what is reasonable phone contact non custodial parent is a question that can only be answered by the custodial parent.
They should consider all of the factors mentioned above and any others relevant to their situation to determine what is best for them and their child. They should speak with a family law attorney if they have any questions.
I call daily twice but my ex doesn’t like this.
That could be seen as unreasonable. It’s taking time away from the custodial parent.
The most reasonable way to do it is set mutual boundaries with your ex partner, something you could both agree with and feel comfortable. If you’re getting in the way of the other parents custody time twice a day, you are interfering with their relationship and sending a message to the child.
You could be well-meaning, but it reads: my relationship with you is more important than your other parent. I do not trust them having uninterrupted time together. This could be viewed as parental alienation and manipulation. The other parent should then be able to do the same. Sounds like they respect your time with your child and they wish you did the same.
Women are more likely to cause parental alienation- this is unfortunately a fact. I am a woman, speaking for our community. I witness this with my stepsons mother. She has been FaceTiming him every 2 days lately while away for work – she’s never done this in the past 6 years. This is happening during a contentious time as she used her son as a pawn to get information on his father’s whereabouts and served legal papers on him during her last FaceTime call.
She is showing she has no regard for their relationship and often misses his scheduled FaceTime call (last time we didn’t have him for 2 weeks during Covid), which is usually only 1 when he is away for an extended time (more than the usual 7 day period of their 50/50 custody).
It’s offensive. It puts us in an awkward position, because when we make plans and then find out she prearranged a call, we feel hand tied.
Remember what they taught us in kindergarten: treat others the way you wish to be treated.
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What about if the child is refusing to speak to the other parent?
Good question, Kat. If your child refuses to speak to the other parent, there are a few things you can do to resolve the situation. First, try to find out the reason for the refusal. If a specific incident triggered the violence, see if you can help your child talk through it. If there is no specific reason, try encouraging your child to see the other parent as a friend. Explain that even though you are no longer together, it’s essential to maintain a relationship with both parents. You can also suggest fun activities that the whole family can do together, such as going to the park or playing games. Finally, be patient and present a united front with your ex-partner. Showing you are both committed to maintaining a relationship with your child will help them understand the importance of doing so.
The noncustodial parent wanted to video call the kids 3 times a week, which I’ve allowed but he’s never consistent. He has missed over half of the video calls this week without a reason. Can I reduce the amount of calls a week? In our parenting plan it just states ots up to me oj how often the calls are but I don’t wanna restrict him to the point he tries to take me to court put of spite.
As the parenting plan states, deciding how often the video calls should occur is up to you as the custodial parent. This means that you can choose how many video calls per week make sense for your family, and if that number should be reduced due to noncustodial parent’s inconsistency, then it is within your right to do so
If you are concerned about the noncustodial parent taking legal action, it is best to have a clear and concise conversation with them beforehand. This will allow them to understand your reasoning for reducing the number of video calls, which could help to prevent a potential dispute. It may also be helpful to keep records of missed or late video calls, as this can serve as evidence if a dispute arises. Ultimately, by taking the time to discuss and document any changes in routine, you should be able to avoid unnecessary disputes over parenting arrangements.
No matter what decision you make regarding the number of video calls per week, it is essential to remain flexible with your expectations and understanding of the noncustodial parent’s situation. This will help to ensure that your relationship with them is one of cooperation rather than conflict, which is in the best interests of you and your children.
If you need any additional help or advice regarding any changes to your parenting plan, it is recommended to seek legal counsel.