Managing Long-Distance Parenting in Texas
When parents live in different cities or even different states, maintaining a close relationship with their children can be challenging. Whether the move is due to a job change, remarriage, or better educational opportunities, long-distance parenting requires creativity, commitment, and communication.
Texas courts expect both parents to remain active in their children’s lives, regardless of distance. With thoughtful planning and consistent effort, parents can ensure that physical miles do not turn into emotional distance.
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Understanding Long-Distance Parenting in Texas
Under Texas law, parents who share joint managing conservatorship are both responsible for making decisions in the best interests of the child. When one parent relocates, the court will often modify the possession order to account for the new circumstances. The goal remains the same: to preserve meaningful contact and ensure that both parents continue to play a positive role in the child’s upbringing.
Long-distance parenting often requires adjustments to travel schedules, holiday arrangements, and school-year visitation. Courts carefully evaluate how moves will impact the child’s stability and relationships, especially when relocation significantly increases travel time.
Virtual Visitation as a Valuable Tool
Technology plays a critical role in helping long-distance families stay connected. Virtual visitation allows parents and children to maintain regular contact through video calls, messaging, or shared online activities. Courts increasingly recognize this as a valid and beneficial way to sustain relationships between visits.
Parents can agree to structured “virtual visitation” schedules, such as short video calls before bedtime or weekly weekend chats. The key is consistency. Children thrive when they know what to expect, and regular communication helps them feel supported by both parents.
Using reliable technology—like Zoom, FaceTime, or Google Meet—ensures that interactions are smooth and stress-free. Parents should also be flexible about technical issues or time zone differences and avoid using virtual visits to monitor or interrogate the other household. The focus should always remain on the child.
Coordinating Travel and Costs
When distance makes in-person visits more difficult, both parents must work together to plan travel arrangements. This includes booking flights in advance, choosing pickup and drop-off locations, and deciding who will cover transportation expenses. Texas courts often specify these details in the possession order to prevent disputes.
Cooperative planning not only helps the child transition smoothly between homes but also demonstrates to the court that both parents can work together in the child’s best interests.
Keeping the Child’s Routine Stable
Children benefit from predictability. Parents who live apart should coordinate routines for bedtime, school communication, and extracurricular involvement. Sharing school calendars, grades, and activity schedules helps both parents stay informed and engaged.
Parents should also communicate with teachers and coaches so both homes stay included in updates and events. When children see that both parents are participating, they feel more secure and valued.
When to Seek Legal Guidance
Relocation can significantly affect custody arrangements. Before making a move or agreeing to new visitation terms, parents should consult with an experienced Texas family law attorney. Modifying existing orders requires court approval, and it is important to ensure that changes protect the child’s best interests while preserving both parents’ rights.
The Barrows Firm Can Help
At the Barrows Firm in Southlake, we help parents navigate the challenges of long-distance parenting with practical, child-focused strategies. Whether you need to modify an order, negotiate travel terms, or establish virtual visitation guidelines, our team provides clear advice and compassionate representation.
Contact the Barrows Firm today to schedule a consultation and learn how to maintain strong family connections no matter the distance.
