Florida Parenting Plan

Attorney Representation in Tampa, FL for over 35 years

A "Parenting Plan" is defined as a document created to:

govern the relationship between the parties relating to the decisions that must be made regarding the minor child.
contain a time sharing schedule for the parents and child.
address the child's education, health care, and physical, social, and emotional well being.
address the parties, including the parties' historic relationship, domestic violence, and other factors must be taken into consideration.
the parenting plan shall be developed and agreed to by the parents and approved by a court or, if the parents cannot agree, established by the court at a trial on the issues presented.

Our Tampa Family Lawyer Can Help You Formulate Your Parenting Plan

Obviously, the parenting plan involves almost all major issues regarding the child or children. Some important factors to consider when formulating a plan include:

how often each parent sees the child, i.e., the percentage or number of overnights or weekends each month each parent will have with the child
the child's age, maturity, temperament and strength of attachment to each parent as well as any special needs of the child and parents
the child’s relationship with siblings and friends
the distance between the two households and transportation needs
the flexibility of both parents’ work schedules and the child’s schedule to accommodate extended access to the child
child care arrangements
the ability of the parents to communicate and cooperate
the child's and parents' cultural and religious practices
a parent's willingness to provide adequate supervision even if the parent has not done so in the past
a parents ability and willingness to learn basic care-giving skills such as feeding, changing and bathing a young child
preparing a child for day-care/school or taking responsibility for helping a child with homework
a parent’s ability to care for the child’s needs, e.g., homework on school nights
access to the child during holidays and vacations
the child’s attendance at school or religious services
stability in the child’s life

The plan may also set forth a procedure that must be followed if the parties cannot agree on matters pertaining to their children. Contact a Tampa family lawyer for more information.