Child relocation

How technology can ease the transition 

Relocating to a new city or even country after a divorce can be the start of a new chapter, but it can lead to disputes between parents. The courts have recognised the need for parents to be actively involved in their children’s lives post divorce and provide them with the necessary support to ease the transition. Technology and child relocation can go hand in hand. 

Technological support

There are various ways in which parents can support their children through relocation via virtual visitation, educational and adaptive tools for children, digital information-sharing tools for parents, apps that provide children with emotional support and counselling, and co-parenting apps that help parents navigate their parental responsibilities.  

Virtual visitation

Virtual visitation is when parents and children use platforms such as Zoom, Skype, instant messaging or other communication tools to connect when they are not able to be together in person. It seeks to complement in-person parenting time and is not designed to replace it. This type of communication can be very helpful when a co-parent lives far away or has a demanding schedule because it provides additional opportunities to spend time with their children. Courts usually order virtual visitation in child relocation matters to facilitate custody and parenting beyond the barrier of physical distance.  

In a recent case the court granted access to children via Skype. The court required the plaintiff and the defendant to install an internet line at their respective residences and ordered the plaintiff to allow Skype access on the minor children’s iPads. The defendant was also allowed to have Skype contact with the children every Saturday at certain times. 

Online content to support children and parents

The Sesame Workshop is an online platform that provides both children and parents with courses, workshops and free educational content which guides them through various obstacles they may face during the transition from nuclear family to separated or even blended family. It covers a wide variety of topics, including divorce, trauma, emotional wellbeing, parenting, grief and violence. The Sesame Workshop strives to reach children in their earliest years to have the greatest impact. It is available in more than 150 countries, providing over 150 million children with access to life-changing early education, critical health lessons and helpful tools for tough situations.  

KidZania is an interactive city made for children from 1-14 that combines inspiration, fun and learning through realistic role play. Children can independently explore a scaled city of over 7,000 square metres with more than 100 exciting careers they can try. Realistic role play is used to teach children about different careers, the inner workings of a city and the concept of managing money. The experience is designed to empower young people, give them the confidence to reach their full potential, and inspire them to be responsible global citizens.  

Parental communication

One of the most important aspects of co-parenting is the ability to communicate effectively and work together as a team to ensure children’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Dropbox Family is a cloud storage solution that allows file storage and sharing. Documents can be signed electronically and sent and comments recorded. Dropbox enables videos and photos as well as files, forms, documents or emergency information to be saved to a shared folder which allows easy access for the whole family.

Emotional support for children online 

There are many apps designed to provide children with emotional support and counselling. Chillpanda teaches children from 6-12 how to relax, manage worries and improve wellbeing by measuring their heart rate and allowing them to complete tasks that suit their state of mind. It helps children, parents and carers understand different emotions, and introduces skills to help regulate these, including breathing techniques and calming games. 

Mindshift CBT is designed for young adults and uses scientifically proven strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help users understand anxiety, learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of their anxiety. Molehill Mountain is specifically designed for young people (12 years and older) with autism. It provides daily evidence-based tips on how to understand anxiety, track worries and situations that trigger it, and feel more confident in their self-management.

Childhood is a critical phase, shaping emotional development and overall wellbeing. Emotional support plays a pivotal role in nurturing healthy and resilient children. Think Ninja educates young people about mental health and emotional wellbeing and provides skills that young people can use to build resilience and stay well. It covers issues including stress, anxiety, low mood, and unhelpful thoughts. The user is coached by the WiseNinja, powered by artificial intelligence and the skills of a clinical psychologist. 

Co-parenting support 

Co-parenting after divorce comes with challenges, and technology offers some solutions. Apps like Our Family Wizard, Talking Parents, and 2Houses provide a shared calendar, the ability to store and share files, a finance tracker, accountable payments, and a journal which chronicles events related to child care. 

Parents who have already relocated or are currently seeking to relocate can use technology to maintain and grow their relationship with their children. The key to successful co-parenting with technology is effective communication and a commitment to working together for the benefit of the children. Technology is only as good as its users and parents should regularly assess how technology is serving their co-parenting goals and be willing to make adjustments as needed. 

We can help

At Cape Town Divorce Attorneys, we’ve helped many parents navigate the difficult scenario of post-divorce relocation. We can help you if you need to relocate to another province or country. Contact Cape Town attorney Simon Dippenaar on 086 099 5146 or email sdippenaar@sdlaw.co.za to discuss your case in confidence. We are also in Johannesburg and Durban.

Further reading:

• Cape Town boy can relocate to Germany with mom
• Contested international child relocation
• Interprovincial relocation post-divorce
• Relocating with minor children after divorce

Resources:

• Kidzania
• Sesame Workshop
• Chillpanda
• Mindshift CBT
• Think Ninja
• Our Family Wizard

SD Law has no association or affiliation with any of these organisations or websites and we provide the links purely for information.

Divorce Attorney Cape Town

http://divorceattorneycapetown.co.za/

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