When Do I Need to Create a Parenting Plan in FT Lauderdale, Florida?
When a divorce involving children takes place it is necessary that both the parents decide who will be living with the children and who will be responsible for taking care of their basic needs. It is up to the parents to come to a mutual agreement on their own. However, if the parents are unable to agree on living accommodations, a judge will have to step in and make the decision for them. Even if both parents come to an agreement they have to submit their parenting plan to the court so the judge can ascertain that the accommodations have been made in the best interest of the child.
In the parenting plan, it is necessary that parents address parental responsibilities and also how time-sharing will take place between the two parties. In most cases, the court will prefer that both parents take an active role in the child’s life and spend a sufficient amount of time with them as well as care for their needs. However, if a parent has a history of domestic violence, substance abuse, or other vices of a similar nature then the court will most likely reduce the amount of time they can spend with their children.
A parenting plan will always include the following decisions:
- Who will be the primary caregiver
- Who will take the children to their extracurricular activities
- Who will be responsible for the health care needs of their child
- How time will be shared between the two parents
- How parents will talk to their children while the child is away with the other parent
If a person feels like their previous partner is not acting fair and is being unreasonably disagreeable while they try and make their parenting plan, they should call a child custody lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As a parent, getting adequate time to spend with one’s children is not a small matter. A parent should exhaust every effort they can in order to fight for the right to keep their children in their lives.
Will I need mediation for my case?
Mediation is basically when a trained professional steps in to help the two parents come to a conclusion. Naturally, it isn’t very easy to get along with someone after a divorce. However, a person does not necessarily need to involve the court and make their private matters and emotions public.
They can opt to get a mediator in to help them reason out their concerns and come up with a fair parenting plan which benefits the both of them and is, of course, in the best interest of the children who are involved. Mediation is a good way to have one’s case resolved as quickly as possible and also to gain more say over what gets put down on the parenting plan.
Every parent wishes and hopes that their children will be able to walk away from the divorce with as minimal emotional and mental damage done to them as possible. Creating a fair parenting plan in which the child gets to enjoy both parents company is a good way to ensure that the children remain content and happy even despite the recent changes they have been put through.
