When parents with children decide to get a divorce, a plan surrounding their children is required by Florida state law. Today this is called a “parenting plan”.
A parenting plan comes into play when both parents plan to participate in childcare and child raising responsibilities as well as maintain custody of their children. While this is the best possible scenario for children, parents need to make a plan for time-sharing. These plans can be supervised, short distance, or long distance.
The rule for parenting plans is that the child(ren)s’ best interests are considered first. A valid parenting plan will include all children that the couple shares together.
The plan will detail which parent has the right to make emergency education or health care decisions. The plan will also spell out who will make the more day-to-day decisions, as well as extra curricular activities. The plan must state what methods will be used to communicate with the child.
The plan will describe each child’s school, as well as after school activities and who will be responsible for making sure the child gets to them. More broadly, the plan will explain where the child will spend each weekday, the weekends, and holidays; summer and fall school vacations are also included.
Moreover, the plan will explain who will bear the cost of childcare expenses, how the plan will be modified, and what the parents will do if they have a conflict. A circuit judge must approve the parenting plan.
In reviewing the plan and determining the best interests of the child, the court will look at several factors, including but not limited to:
A parenting plan should be extremely detailed in order to ensure that each child is properly cared for and their needs are fairly met by each parent. The state of Florida holds parents who are looking to get a divorce highly responsible for their children’s needs and ensures they are cared for in the best manner.
If you need help drafting your parenting plan, no problem. Help is available. A family law attorney can help to make sure both parents are getting their fair share of time and that the child’s interests are protected.
Contact Estevez-Pazos Law Firm, P.A. today for an initial and consultation 305-717-7130.
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