Child custody cases can sometimes be very difficult matters to manage. When there are accusations of domestic violence or abuse, there is a chance that the court might order supervised visits. These aren’t the ideal method of spending time with your children, but they are better than being unable to see them at all.

One thing that is going to make a difference about how your supervised visits go is your attitude. If you go into them thinking how horrible they are, they are going to be rough. If you take the time to plan for these times to enjoy with your children, you will likely find that the visits go better.

Think about your child’s interests

Even though a supervised visit isn’t ideal because you have someone sitting in on the time you have with your children, you can make sure that you have what you need to have fun with them. Think about their interests and try to tailor your visits. A younger child might want to spend the time playing dolls or trucks with you. An older child might want to just talk. You should think about different ways to connect with your children that are possible in the supervised visit location.

Plan for imperfect visits

Not all supervised visits are going to be perfect. You should go into each visit with a positive attitude and plans to enjoy the time with your children. When things do get tough during the visit, you might need to readjust the time you have left in the visit. If you can, try to bring something with you that you can grab if the mood in the visit is trending toward stressed out. If your child is having an off day but everything else seems to be normal, you may want to sit down with the child and help them work through the feelings and emotions that are bothering them.

Look toward the future

There is a chance that the supervised visits are only going to be required for a limited time while your case moves through the court system. You have to keep your eye on the prize as you deal with the tough situations that might occur in a supervised visit situation. Remember that your child is the person who matters now. You can use the supervised time to plan for your future and to show that you have your child’s interests in mind.