On behalf of The Law Office of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A.
You’re divorcing a spouse with whom you have children in Florida. They have custody, but you have visitation rights. You’re generally satisfied with the visitation schedule that’s been established.
However, you may still have concerns. Perhaps you believe this visitation schedule would be acceptable in an ideal situation. However, you’re worried that actually coordinating with your soon-to-be ex to ensure you both adhere to the visitation schedule will prove challenging. Or, you’re concerned visitation will create stress and tension as it forces you and your ex to interact.
This is understandable. You should know that you can take legal action if your ex chooses not to honor the terms of a visitation agreement. This is a topic you may wish to discuss in greater detail with your divorce attorney if it’s causing significant worry.
That said, taking certain steps ahead of time can help you and your spouse prepare to stick to a visitation schedule so that conflict is avoided. They include:
Decide How You’ll Communicate
There shouldn’t be any confusion regarding how you and your ex will coordinate with one another when planning to drop off and pick up your kids for visitation. It’s best to agree upon a clear means of staying in touch. However you plan on communicating, the process should be as routine as possible. It’s not ideal for either of you to have to wonder when the other will call to discuss an upcoming visit.
Know What You Will Need
If you’re the one with visitation rights and your spouse is the one with custody, you want to ensure you make the right impression and don’t give them any reason to believe you aren’t providing a comfortable environment for your kids during visits. To this end, agree upon the items you’ll need to provide your kids with in your home when they come to visit.
You don’t want to simply assume your ex will send them along with everything they need. Your goal is to minimize any potential for disputes to arise.
Agree to be Respectful
Perhaps you and your spouse are already capable of relating to one another in a respectful and civil manner. If so, that’s a major advantage both you and your children will benefit from.
That said, understandably, many spouses who are divorcing one another struggle to remain positive when interacting. Regardless, you want visitation to be a positive experience for your kids. You and your spouse should therefore agree you’ll set aside your differences and “play nice” when transferring the kids for visits.
Additionally, if you and your spouse are respectful during visits, there’s less of a chance that you’ll anger them and give them reason to withhold visitation rights. If everyone remains calm and pleasant, everyone is more likely to stick to a plan.
Just remember that the best way to ensure a visitation schedule is fair and that it’s enforced is to have proper legal assistance. At the Law Office of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A., a Fort Lauderdale divorce and visitation attorney is on hand to guide you through this experience. Learn more by contacting the office online or calling 954-533-2756.
