Parenting is stressful enough when both parents work locally. Going through a divorce for a parent who travels around the state or out of state gets complicated and ugly. What should a divorcing parent who works away from home do to maximize the time he or she has with the children? There are some steps to consider.
- Keep working – If there are no children involved, travel is not going to have very much impact on a divorce. Being away from home one, two, three weeks a month does not change how a divorce will happen.
- Change the travel schedule – Consider talking with your boss or supervisor to see if it is possible to work closer to home or to take fewer trips away from home. If self-employed, look at using technology in a different way to all you to reduce travel.
- Find work closer to home – Some parents consider changing jobs, going back to school or working at a job for less pay in order to have equal parenting time. This option can maximize parenting time, but can bring with it a decrease of income so looking at the financial effect of a job change must be done.
- Talk with your spouse – A job which frequently takes a parent away from home does not have to automatically mean reduced parenting time. Parents should talk and figure out a plan for what parenting time would look like in this situation. The best interests of the children are naturally paramount.
- Speak with an attorney – Meeting with an attorney to discuss options, ideas and strategies creates a plan for moving forward.
Contact experienced family law attorney Jessica L. Sterle to schedule a consultation by calling (218) 722-2655.