On behalf of The Law Office of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A.
Working out your visitation schedule can be challenging, particularly if you went through a contentious divorce. While it is natural for both parents to want to spend more time with the kids, this should not create unnecessary arguments, especially during the holidays. This is the time to create lasting memories your kids will talk about when they are adults. Contact a Fort Lauderdale time-sharing lawyer to help you make the right decisions for you and your family. It is common for divorced parents to submit applications during this time of the year due to a former spouse not respecting a visitation schedule.
Make Your Holiday Visitation Legal
Visitation or timesharing in Florida is the time each parent spends with the children after divorce. Timesharing is also an important factor that helps determine child support. You should work out a timesharing schedule with your attorney but just remember the court must first approve it. Even when you and your former spouse agree on a parenting plan, the court will need to approve it otherwise it is not enforceable. In other words, if your former spouse doesn’t respect the schedule, you have no legal grounds to enforce the agreement because it was never made legal.
Why Are Parenting Plans So Important?
Parenting plans are important to ensure the parents’ participation in their children’s lives. As long as there are no other factors such as domestic violence and drug abuse present, children should spend a fair amount of time with their parents. Also, parenting plans can help prevent unnecessary arguments about holiday parenting time. When there is a schedule, there will be no doubts about who keeps the children on a specific day.
Parenting Time Requirements
When courts agree on a given parenting plan, it is included in the final divorce decree. Parenting plans include the holidays and special events throughout the year. Parents generally alternate years so they each get to spend the holidays with the kids. Christmas is one of the most contentious issues in the parenting time agreement. Some parents split the holidays so that the children get to spend time with both parents and extended family.
The Perfect Holiday Parenting Plan
There is no such thing as the perfect schedule but you and your former spouse can make it work for your children. No matter what you and your family celebrate, Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa, no family is ever completely happy. Whatever you do, make sure your holiday parenting time is official so everybody in your family and your former spouse’s family know when they can visit the children.
We Can Help You
We understand holiday parenting time can be difficult to negotiate. Reach out to a Fort Lauderdale child visitation attorney Gustavo E. Frances and schedule a free initial consultation. We truly wish you and your family enjoy the holidays!
