Every parenting plan is unique. You can include anything that is important in your particular situation.
However, there are elements that all such plans should contain, among which is a well-defined time-sharing schedule.
General guidelines
The goal of a parenting plan is to provide guidance for parents to follow in raising their children. The court will not approve a plan that is vague or incomplete. The plan outlines parental rights and responsibilities and must contain plain language that avoids misinterpretation.
Essential points
In the state of Florida, a parenting plan must include all the required information, including:
- How you and the other parent will share childcare responsibilities
- How you will divide time-sharing, including specific schedules
- How you will manage child exchanges between homes
- How you will share decisions concerning the child’s education, medical and dental care, religious upbringing, extracurricular activities and matters concerning discipline
- How you will divide expenses related to childcare
- How you and the other parent will communicate about your child
- How you will make changes to the plan
- How you intend to resolve conflicts that arise concerning the plan
You should also explain how you will revise the parenting plan according to future needs, such as when your toddler enters kindergarten or starts elementary school.
Plan modification
The Florida courts will consider modifying a parenting plan if the child will benefit significantly from the change, if the child’s safety is at risk or if there has been a major change in the parent’s circumstances that would alter the time-sharing schedule. If a modification becomes necessary, an attorney can assist in developing a petition the court is most likely to view in a favorable light.