As a noncustodial parent, visits with your child may be your favorite part of the week. You get to catch up with your child’s life and do a lot of activities together. Thus, it can be stressful when the other parent informs you your child doesn’t want to visit.
You may be unhappy and confused, but it’s important to handle this matter carefully in order to best preserve your parent-child relationship. The following are two mistakes to avoid:
1. Not listening to your child
You should call to speak with your child to find out why they don’t want to visit. If they don’t want to talk, ask your co-parent if they have any insights or what they’ve been told.
Opening a dialogue with your child is critical for a good resolution. If you force the visitation without any attempt to find out what’s behind their reluctance, everybody may have an unpleasant, unhappy time.
2. Not looking for solutions
After learning about the reason your child doesn’t want to visit, you should develop solutions. For instance, if they are missing out on social activities, such as sleepovers and parties, you and the other parent may consider modifying your visitation schedule to accommodate such issues.
Even though you are the parent, which means you call the shots, you need a smooth approach when your child refuses to visit. However, if your parenting plan is no longer working or you believe your co-parent is behind this issue, you should get legal help to know the next moves to make.
