Shared Parenting advice needed

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Shared Parenting advice needed
2
Wed, 01-25-2006 - 10:20am

Hello. I have lurked on this board for some time now and have really valued some of the advice given by all of you to each other. I'd love some advice if anyone can offer some. I'm wondering if any of you have children and moved away from the other parent, and if you were able to make shared parenting work. A little background...my husband and I were married 4 years. We are in the midst of sorting through a dissolution. The sticking point, of course, has been visitation. He wasn't present during the first 18 months of our 2 year old's life. He has become a good father though over the past 6 months. I am not originally from the town we live in, and I would like to move back to where I grew up, which is 1 hour away. Is this asking too much? Should I attempt to stay in the town we live in? So far, we have agreed on all other points of the dissolution (i.e. what happens to the house, the items in the house, etc). If anyone can give some advice, or share the plans that have worked for them, I would truly appreciate it.

Thank you in advance!

Avatar for mom2maggie
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
Wed, 01-25-2006 - 11:19am

My STBX and I share parenting of our two children ages 7 and nearly 2. We live in the same neighborhood and I think that definately makes things easier.

However, one hour away is not really that far. Many of my co-workers make a commute like that every day.

Your daughter is young enough that it is probably not a good idea for her to be away from either parent for more than a couple days which would mean more time on the road. However, you are not yet trying to juggle school, homework, and extra-curricular activities and her social life quite yet so it's probably doable.

If you definately want to move sometime then it might be better to do it now provided you are able to work out a visitation schedule with your ex. Once she starts school you may have a harder time convincing a judge that it won't affect her if you move.

Just my 2 cents.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 01-25-2006 - 1:23pm

An hour is nothing... especially if it means that it's a better situation for you.


Karen ~ wildlucky4me ~