Parenting Plans Built Around Your Child
Customized parenting plans designed to protect your children’s stability, reflect your family’s priorities, and provide total clarity for both parents.
A Shared Focus on Your Children's Future
Prioritizing Your Children’s Best Interests
In Florida, parenting plans are developed in accordance with the child’s best interests standard. This framework ensures that important decisions support the child’s overall well-being and stability. Eric helps you structure a plan that is clear, practical, and aligned with these requirements.
Creating a Roadmap for Your Family
During mediation, you will address the key components of your children’s daily lives, including time-sharing schedules, holidays, and decision-making responsibilities. The goal is to create a Parenting Plan that is comprehensive, workable, and clearly defined.
Decisions Remain in Your Hands
Unlike a litigated case where a judge may decide unresolved issues, mediation allows parents to reach agreements directly. This process keeps decision-making with the parents.
The 4 Pillars of Your Parenting Plan
Customized parenting plans designed to protect your children’s stability, reflect your family’s priorities, and provide total clarity for both parents.
Major and Common Decision-Making for a Stable Future
A key component of your Parenting Plan is defining how major decisions will be handled regarding your child’s health, education, and other significant matters. Depending on the structure of your agreement, this may involve shared parental responsibility or a different allocation of decision-making authority.
In addition to major decisions, your plan can also address day-to-day and common decision-making, including matters such as extracurricular activities and summer camps.
Eric facilitates a structured discussion to clearly define how decisions will be made and how responsibilities are allocated. Each provision is documented in a detailed Parenting Plan, creating a clear framework that reduces confusion and helps prevent future conflict.
Creating a Stable Time-Sharing Schedule
A key component of your Parenting Plan is establishing a time-sharing schedule that defines when the children are with each parent. This schedule can take many forms, including equal time-sharing arrangements such as a 7-7 or 2-2-3 rotation, or another structure based on the family’s circumstances.
In addition to the regular schedule, the plan addresses holidays, school breaks, and other recurring events to ensure time-sharing is clearly defined throughout the year.
Eric facilitates the development of a detailed and workable schedule, including clear transition times and provisions. Documenting these details in advance reduces uncertainty and helps minimize future disputes.
Safeguarding the Details of Daily Life
A comprehensive Parenting Plan addresses important logistical and financial matters, including travel, tax dependency, and healthcare responsibilities. These provisions define how decisions and costs are handled to reduce ambiguity and ensure consistency.
The plan can include terms related to domestic and international travel, including notice requirements and consent. It also specifies which parent may claim the child as a tax dependent, along with how health insurance premiums and uncovered medical expenses are allocated between the parents.
Eric facilitates a structured discussion to define these terms clearly and ensure they are properly documented. Establishing these provisions in advance helps minimize misunderstandings and provides a clear framework for ongoing responsibilities.
Personalized Solutions for Your Unique Family
In addition to required legal provisions, a Parenting Plan may include terms that address the specific needs and preferences of your family. These can include communication guidelines, cell phone decisions, and other agreed-upon practices related to the children’s daily lives.
Eric facilitates a structured discussion to identify and define these additional provisions so they are clearly outlined and incorporated into the Parenting Plan.
Documenting these terms in advance helps ensure expectations are understood and provides a consistent framework for co-parenting.
Common Questions About Your Parenting Plan
Expert clarity on protecting your children’s well-being and creating a stable roadmap for both parents.
Does Florida Support Both Parents?
Yes. Florida law recognizes that a child's best interests are served when they have frequent and continuing contact with both parents. There is no preference for one parent over the other; instead, the focus is on encouraging shared responsibilities and the joys of childrearing. Eric helps you build a plan that preserves these vital bonds.
Can We Update the Plan as Our Children Grow?
Yes. Parenting Plans may be modified if there is a substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances. This allows the plan to be updated as children’s needs evolve, provided the modification remains consistent with the child’s best interests.
How Is Distance Managed in the Plan?
If a parent intends to relocate more than 50 miles, Florida law requires compliance with relocation statutes, which may include notice requirements and either agreement or court approval.
A Parenting Plan can include provisions addressing long-distance time-sharing, communication, and travel arrangements to maintain the child’s relationship with both parents. These terms help ensure expectations are clearly defined if distance becomes a factor.
Is Our Agreement Built to Last?
Parenting Plans are intended to provide long-term structure and stability. Courts review agreements to ensure they meet the child’s best interests standard.
Once approved, a Parenting Plan remains in effect unless modified by agreement or court order based on a substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances.