Divorcing parents in Florida will typically enter into a parenting plan to establish how they will share time with the child and how they will make decisions regarding the child. One of the most important parts of the parenting plan is the establishing child custody arrangements with a time-sharing schedule. The schedule will specify which parent the child will be staying with on weekdays during the school year, as well as weekends during the school year, vacations, holidays, and other important events.
Will time be shared equally between parents?
Sharing time does not necessarily mean time with the child will be split 50-50 between the parents. Under Fla. Stat. Sec. 61.13, there are a few possible arrangements for time sharing including:
- Majority time sharing: One parent (primary residential parent) has over 50 percent of overnights with the child during the year.
- Equal time sharing: Both parents share overnights with the child 50-50 during the year.
- Supervised time sharing: A third party is legally required to be present when a parent is spending time with the child. This is typically reserved for cases involving domestic violence, drug/alcohol abuse, and/or other serious issues.
If you are new to time sharing, you may have trouble accepting the fact that you will likely not be spending as much time with your child as you did when you were married. However, it is important to remember that by sharing time with your ex, you are giving your child the opportunity to maintain strong relationships with both of their parents. By putting aside your differences and coparenting effectively, you and your ex are providing your child with all the support they need to succeed in life, even if you are no longer together.
