Why Distance Changes the Usual Approach
Many common parenting time schedules — alternating weeks, or splitting weekday evenings between parents — generally assume parents live reasonably close together. Where parents live a significant distance apart, whether within Ontario or farther, those frequent-exchange schedules often aren't practical, and parenting time generally needs to be restructured around longer, less frequent blocks of time instead.
Common General Patterns
Long-distance arrangements generally tend to favour longer continuous blocks of parenting time — extended weekends, full school breaks, and a significant portion of summer vacation — rather than frequent short visits that would require excessive travel. The exact split generally depends on the distance involved, each parent's flexibility, the child's age and schooling, and what's practical given travel time and cost. See our guide to creating a parenting plan for how these details are generally worked out.
The Role of Virtual Contact
Where in-person time is necessarily less frequent, many long-distance parenting plans generally include regular virtual contact — video calls or messaging — to help maintain the relationship between in-person visits. See our guide to whether virtual parenting time is enforceable for more on how that piece is generally approached.
Travel Logistics and Costs
Long-distance arrangements generally raise practical questions that closer-distance schedules don't: who is responsible for travel costs, who accompanies a younger child on a trip, and how exchanges are generally handled logistically. These are generally worked out and set out explicitly in the parenting plan itself, since leaving them unaddressed tends to create recurring friction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a standard schedule for long-distance parenting time?
Not a fixed standard — arrangements generally vary based on the distance involved, the child's age, and each parent's circumstances, though longer, less frequent blocks are common.
Who generally pays for travel between long-distance parents?
This is generally addressed explicitly in the parenting plan, since there's no fixed rule — it can be split, allocated based on income, or handled in other ways the parents agree to or a court orders.
Can virtual contact replace in-person parenting time?
Generally not entirely — virtual contact tends to supplement rather than fully replace in-person time, helping maintain the relationship between less frequent visits.
Does a parent's decision to move far away automatically change the schedule?
Not automatically — a significant move can be a relocation issue in its own right. See our guide to relocation with a child for how that's generally approached.
What age should a child be before travelling alone between long-distance parents?
There's no fixed legal age; this is generally a practical decision parents make together, considering the child's maturity and the specific travel involved, and it's often addressed directly in the parenting plan.