Phones are an important part of child custody arrangements that you might not immediately consider. For the most part, child custody orders will not prohibit the use of phones in communication between parents and children. In fact, it’s more likely that custody orders will protect the rights of both parents to communicate with children on the phone at any time.
That being said, it is obviously bad form to monopolize your child’s time with phone calls and texts if they are supposed to be spending time and maintaining a relationship with the other parent. Phones should be freely offered for children to call the other parent when needed, though, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with quick good-night calls or a call to share a fun quip of excitement.
One thing that’s worth noting is that phones can also be used in inappropriate ways and parents have encouraged children to spy on each other or otherwise behave in an inappropriate way with phones. One mom reportedly provided her children with cell phones and asked them to record conversations with their dad when they were visiting him.
While providing your child with a cellphone can bring peace of mind to you both, you don’t necessarily have to provide a young child with his or her own phone to protect phone rights. If you don’t believe your child is old enough or mature enough for such a responsibility, work with your family law attorney to ensure that your children have access to a phone while at the other parent’s house. Working together to ensure lines of communication are open regarding and for your children is a healthy step in any divorce or separation process.
Source: Divorced Moms, “The Game Of Telephone With Children Of Divorce,” accessed Aug. 26, 2016
