When parents in Florida decide to get a divorce, one of the first things they need to do is create a parenting plan. This document will outline how custody and visitation will be handled after the divorce is finalized. It’s important to create a parenting plan that meets the needs of both parents and protects the best interests of the child or children involved. In this blog post, we will discuss what goes into a Florida parenting plan and provide tips for creating one that works for your family.

What is a Parenting Plan?

A parenting plan is a legally binding document that outlines how parents will share responsibility for the care and upbringing of their children after a divorce. This includes issues such as custody, visitation, decision-making authority, and financial support. It’s important to note that courts in Florida strongly prefer that parents come up with their own plans rather than having one imposed by the court.

What Does a Florida Parenting Plan Include?

A Florida parenting plan should include all the necessary information required by law to effectively handle custody, visitation, and other matters related to children. 

This includes:

– A schedule of when each parent will have physical custody of the child or children.

– A detailed plan outlining how decisions will be made and who will have the authority to make decisions in certain areas.

– Detailed information about financial support, including child support obligations and other expenses such as medical care or childcare.

– Information regarding the child’s education, health care, religious upbringing, extracurricular activities, etc.

– Details on how the parents will handle holidays, vacations, and other special occasions.

– Details on how conflicts related to the parenting plan and parenting time will be resolved.

– Details on how children will communicate with the other parent during time-sharing

– Details on how parents will communicate with each other

Furthermore, plans should consider future needs. For example, if you use an infant time-sharing schedule currently, explain how parenting time will differ when the child is a toddler and getting ready to start preschool or kindergarten. Also, establish how decisions will be made for other topics relevant to your children such as health needs social media usage driving, etc.

Types of Parenting plans.

Florida offers four types of parenting plans to choose from, each with unique information requirements in addition to the basics. It’s best to select the plan that best suits your situation, using any template or format you prefer as long as it contains all required information. The plans are as follows:

The basic plan:

This is the simplest plan with basic information regarding parenting time, decision-making authority, and financial support. The basic plan is the best plan when the parent:

• Come to a mutual agreement about who will be responsible for what, and how time will be divided between parents.
• Communicate effectively
• Have no history of child abuse, substance abuse, or domestic violence,
• Have no plan of living more than 50 miles from each other

The basic plan only requires the information that is mandatory for all Florida parenting plans.

The long-distance plan

This plan is used when the parents live more than 50 miles away from each other but are still within the same court’s jurisdiction. It is similar to the basic plan but includes additional information for long-distance arrangements, such as transportation planning and communication protocols.

If you and the other parent are on good terms, agree about sharing responsibility, and don’t have a history of violence or substance abuse, then you may want to consider creating a long-distance parenting plan.

This plan is sometimes called a relocation plan and would detail children’s travel between homes. Additionally, it sets rules for how children will communicate with one parent while in the care of the other.

The highly-structured plan

If you and the other parent struggle to agree on shared responsibility or time-sharing, need help communicating with each other civilly, and do not have a history of domestic abuse, child abuse, or substance abuse, then this highly-structured plan may be for you.

This plan is designed for high-conflict cases where there is often disagreement. It typically involves mediators or lawyers to develop it. The aim of the plan is to set out strict rules and guidelines for decision-making and time-sharing in order to prevent any further conflict. It may also include defaults in case parents are unable to come to an agreement, as well as statements on parenting principles and children’s rights.

If you have a highly-structured plan, parenting coordination will likely be mandated. If parents live more than 50 miles apart, a long-distance plan can be combined with a highly structured plan.

The safety-focused plan

The safety-focused parenting plan is ideal if any children or parent(s) are in danger because of poor conditions such as:

• Domestic violence
• Child abuse
• Substance abuse
• Criminal activity

The safety-focused plan makes children’s physical well-being the top priority while still allowing the parent–child relationship to remain intact. The parent who is deemed a risk in this plan would only be allowed unsupervised time with their child during daylight hours and no overnight visits or supervised visits with third-party monitoring of visits in order to ensure the child’s safety.

In addition to the above visitation restrictions, the safety-focused plan would include specific provisions such as when and how to pick up and drop off children, how parents should communicate with each other regarding children’s needs, who is authorized to make decisions on behalf of the children, and

If the safety of the children is at stake, then the court might entirely restrict a parent’s time-sharing. This would be included in a plan that has child safety as its focus. A safety-focused plan can be combined with a long-distance or highly structured plan if parents live more than 50 miles from each other.

How to Modify a parenting plan

If you need to modify a parenting plan, it’s important to understand what needs to be modified and why. The courts will consider both parents’ requests for changes in the parenting plan. In some cases, mediation or other alternative forms of dispute resolution may be recommended by the court. 

To make any changes, you’ll first have to file a written request with the court. Make sure to include evidence that justifies the changes, such as an updated financial document or medical report. If both you and the other parent agree on the modification, it will generally be approved by the court. If not, then a hearing may be scheduled in order to decide if any changes should be made. 

It is important to remember that the court always puts the best interests of the child first when making decisions about parenting plans. The court will take into consideration any changes in circumstances and make sure that children’s needs are met.  

No matter how the parenting plan is written or modified, it’s important that both parents adhere to the terms of the agreement to ensure a peaceful and positive co-parenting relationship. 

Tips for Creating an Effective Florida Parenting Plan

Creating a parenting plan that meets both parents’ needs can be challenging, but it’s important to remember that it should focus on meeting the best interests of the child. Here are some tips for creating an effective parenting plan in the state of Florida: 

1. Keep your child’s well-being at the forefront: Make sure that everything you include in your plan benefits your child, not just one parent or the other. Some parents erroneously believe that it is better for their children to have more time with one parent over the other. This isn’t always true and can be damaging to your child’s mental health in some cases.

2. Communicate: Make sure you communicate openly with the other parent about any concerns, questions, or issues you may have regarding your parenting plan. Working together to create a parenting plan can help you both have more control and influence over the decisions made for your children.

3. Document everything: Make sure you document every agreement and decision in writing, especially if it is something that may be difficult to remember in the future. Documentation is essential for any Florida parenting plan due to its legal ramifications.

4. Consult an attorney or mediator: If you are unsure about any aspect of your parenting plan, it is always a good idea to consult with an attorney or mediator for advice and direction. They can help ensure that all important elements are included in your plan and that everything is in compliance with Florida law.

Creating a parenting plan that meets your needs and the needs of your children is an important part of any divorce or separation. With a comprehensive Florida parenting plan, you can create guidelines for decision-making and time-sharing that protect both parents’ interests as well as the safety, health, and welfare of your children. Keep these tips in mind when creating your Florida parenting plan.

Challenges in creating a Parenting Plan.

Creating an effective parenting plan is no easy task and can present unique challenges for divorced or separated couples. Some of these common challenges include:

1. Conflict over time-sharing:

It can be difficult to come to an agreement when it comes to deciding on a time-sharing arrangement that both parents are comfortable with. It’s important to keep the best interests of your children in mind when creating your plan.

2. Differing opinions on decision-making:

Parents may also disagree on making decisions regarding their children such as health care, religious upbringing, and educational choices. It’s important to discuss these issues before creating a parenting plan so that both parents can come to an agreement on how to proceed.

3. Long-distance parenting:

When parents live a great distance apart, it can be more difficult to create a plan that works for both of them. In some cases, an attorney or mediator may be necessary to help resolve these issues and create a plan that is in the best interests of the child. Long distance brings other kinds of conflicts like deciding how to handle transportation and holiday visitations.

4. Relocation issues:

When one parent decides to move away, it can create problems for the other parent. There may need to be modifications to the original parenting plan in order to accommodate the relocation. This need for change can lead to further disagreements between the parents. For instance, one parent may need to travel a greater distance in order to uphold the original visitation schedule.

5. Co-parenting:

One of the biggest challenges associated with parenting plans is finding a way to co-parent effectively. It’s important for both parents to put their differences aside and work together in the best interests of their children. It can be difficult for some parents to set boundaries and find common ground, but it is essential for the health and welfare of the children.

Creating an effective parenting plan that meets the needs of both parents and their children can be a difficult task. It’s important to be open-minded, flexible, and willing to negotiate with the other parent. Speak with an attorney or mediator if necessary and remember to always keep the best interests of your children in mind.

Why you need a Lawyer to help you create a Parenting Plan

Creating a parenting plan can be a complicated and emotionally-charged process, so it is important to have legal counsel when creating one. An experienced attorney can provide assistance in various ways, from helping you understand your rights and obligations under the law to providing advice on what would be in the best interests of your children.

An attorney will also have the expertise to help you navigate negotiations with your former partner and ensure that any agreements are legally binding. This can be especially important if one party attempts to make changes without consulting the other or violating any court orders.

It is also worth noting that an attorney may be able to advise you on any potential tax implications of your parenting plan and how to protect yourself and your children from any unforeseen financial issues in the future.

Ultimately, having an experienced lawyer assist you with creating a parenting plan can give you peace of mind knowing that your interests are being properly represented and that your children’s best interests are always taken into account. The right legal counsel can help make the process of creating a parenting plan less stressful, as well as ensure that your rights and the rights of your children are protected.

Frequently asked questions about Florida Parenting Plan.