Parenting Plans & Time-Sharing Arrangements in Florida
Florida parenting plans and time-sharing aren’t one-size-fits-all. The time-sharing schedule that works for a family will depend on their specific circumstances, including, but not limited to, the age(s) of the child(ren), the distances between the parents’ homes, and the wishes of the parties involved. There are, however, a few different types of schedules that are especially common in Florida.
To learn more about these time-sharing schedules and whether they could be suitable for your family, please contact our experienced child custody and time-sharing legal team today.
Time-Sharing Schedule Guidelines
Parents who are divorcing must create a parenting plan, which will explain:
- How parents will be responsible for and share daily child-rearing tasks;
- Who will make decisions regarding health care, school, religious upbringing, and other areas; and,
- How the parents will communicate.
The parenting plan also must include a detailed time-sharing schedule, including holidays, school breaks, and birthdays, showing which dates and times each parent will have with the child.
Generally, this means that time-sharing schedules must:
- Ensure a child’s security and stability;
- Shield a child from conflict as much as possible;
- Minimize any disruption to the child’s life;
- Maximize relationships between a child and both of their parents; and,
- Plan for potential changes in circumstances.
The parents can either agree to a time-sharing settlement arrangement or submit proposed schedules to a judge, who will then be tasked with approving a plan in the child’s best interests.
Common Time-Sharing Schedules
Although the type of parenting plan that a family creates will depend in large part on their specific circumstances, there are a few standard schedules that many families choose to utilize, to include:
- Alternating weeks schedules, which allow a child to spend seven days with one parent and then the next seven with the other parent;
- The 3-4-4-3 schedule, under which a child spends three days with one parent and then four days with the other parent, until the following week when they spend four days with the first parent and three days with the other parent; and,
- The 2-2-5-5 schedule, which allows a child to spend two days with one parent, two days with the other parent and then five days with the first parent and five with the second parent.
These schedules are all based on an equal time-sharing arrangement. However, suppose such a schedule is not possible. In that case, a family could utilize the “every extended weekend” schedule, a 60/40 arrangement that allows a child to spend weekdays with one parent and a long weekend with the other.
On the other hand, the every weekend schedule is a 70/30 arrangement, in which a child spends weekdays with one parent and a two-day weekend with the other. If this arrangement isn’t possible, a family could choose an 80/20 arrangement, wherein a child lives primarily with one parent but visits the other parent every other weekend.
Set Up a Case Review Today With an Orlando Family Law Attorney
Please go online or call 407-757-2877 to speak with an experienced Orlando child visitation & time-sharing lawyer about creating your parenting plan and time-sharing schedule.
