Preparing Your Child
Prepare Your Child
It is important to prepare your child for monitored visits. It will make your child more comfortable and feel free to enjoy the time with the visiting parent. The following is a list of suggestions to help you prepare your child.
- Do not tell child too far in advance of the visit.
- For your child's comfort, be sure to tell your child that you will return when the visit is over.
- In a positive fashion, encourage your child to have a happy visit with the other parent. Use the name or label your child is most comfortable with to address the other parent.
- Tell your child that they will not be forced to say or do anything they do not want to do, including to stay on the visit if they are uncomfortable.
Regardless of your concerns, fear or anger, present the visit as a good experience for your child.
Why Are Visits Important
Your child can see that their visiting parent shows caring and concern for the child's well-being.
Your child can maintain a relationship with the visiting parent which can help the child maintain a sense of self-worth.
Visits help children to see their parents realistically as children have relationships with their parents in their mind. They see the relationship they want to see and visitations allow for the reality of a relationship.
