Though Florida parenting plans are not set in stone, once a schedule is made and agreed upon, they are difficult to modify. For this reason, it is important to consider every possible scenario that might occur between you, your child, and your child’s other parent in the future. At the Law Offices of David L. Hirschberg, P.A., our Boca Raton timesharing attorneys strive to help our clients devise custody agreements that are both in the best interests of the children involved and that allot a fair amount of time spent with the children to their parents. Ensuring that each parent gets maximum time with his or her child involves advising clients on which provisions to consider including in the final custody agreement.

Minimum Requirements

Under Florida Statute 61.13, each parenting plan made in the state must have a minimum set of requirements. Those requirements include the following:

Describe in adequate detail how the parents will share and be responsible for the daily tasks associated with the upbringing of the child;
Include the time-sharing schedule arrangements that specify the time that the minor child will spend with each parent;
Designate who will be responsible for:

a. Any and all forms of health care. If the court orders shared parental responsibility over health care decisions, the parenting plan must provide that either parent may consent to mental health treatment for the child.

b. School-related matters, including the address to be used for school-boundary determination and registration.

c. Other activities; and

Describe in adequate detail the methods and technologies that the parents will use to communicate with the child.

As you can see, the minimum requirements only address the basics. They do not address issues such as splitting summer vacation, vacation time with each parent, who is to get the child when the parent whose day it is is unable to (the other parent, a relative, or a friend?), and other issues that commonly arise in split-family situations. For this reason, parents should discuss possible situations and include provisions regarding how to address each one, no matter how likely or unlikely a situation is to arise.

Additional Provisions to Include in Your Parenting Plan

Life rarely goes as planned, which is why the standard parenting plan is not a sufficient tool for guiding split parents through their child’s youth. If you and your child’s other parent want to avoid common parenting disputes, consider inserting the following into your Boca Raton parenting plan:

A detailed wording that outlines permissions and restrictions regarding residential moves;
A section that spells out rules for both domestic and international travel;
Wording that permits access to the child’s medical and educational records, regardless of who is responsible for medical and educational decisions;
A provision that details who should be responsible for unplanned and atypical medical expenses, such as orthodontia and eyecare;
A provision that allows both parents to attend school, religious, and special events of the child, as well as extra-curricular activities of the child, regardless of whose timesharing it is with the child;
A section that details what should happen if one parent should become unemployed or disabled;
A section that specifies the rules for contact between parent and child when the child is with the other parent;
A provision for the Right of First Refusal (the parent who is unable to care for the child because he or she has a date or is away on travel must allow the other parent to care for the child)
A stipulation that requires both parents to attempt mediation when a dispute arises instead of going directly to court;
A section that details how to detail with the parenting time schedule as the child gets older;
A provision that covers piercings, tattoos, and other body modifications; and
A comprehensive guide that details how to deal with the child’s future educational choices (i.e. who will pay for college, trade school, etc.?).

Work With an Experienced Boca Raton Timesharing Attorney

If you want to ensure that your parenting schedule covers all possible issues that you, your child’s other parent, and your child are bound to run into in the future, contact the Law Offices of David L. Hirschberg, P.A. Our Boca Raton timesharing lawyers can help you devise a custody agreement that can seamlessly guide you through the most common issues that arise between divorced parents. Call our office today to schedule your initial consultation.