Couples who are splitting up and have minor children should make sure that they have a court-approved parenting plan in place prior to or as soon after the separation as possible. Parenting plans can be very difficult to establish because of their incredible importance and emotional subject matter (You are deciding how much time your child(ren) will spend with each parent, and the frequency, type and amount of time-sharing can impact your relationship with your child.) Coming up with a parenting plan is made even more difficult when one of the parents has moved out of state. The realities of one parent living far away from the child present unique considerations for drafting a parenting plan.
How Often Will the
Out-of-State Parent Have Time-Sharing with the Child(ren)?
One of the things that the parents or court must decide in crafting a long-distance parenting plan is how often the out-of-state parent will see the child. Some options include, but are not limited to:
- With Proper Notice to the Parent in Florida - Sometimes the out-of-state parent will plan to vacation near the child's primary residence in Florida and will want to have time-sharing during that time. This is often allowed so long as proper notice (anywhere from 7 to 30 days) is provided in writing to the other parent. Often this provision will limit the time-sharing to 7-10 days in any given month.
Holidays. You
and the other parent may need to agree where the child will spend certain
holidays. For example, one parent may want the child for Christmas and the
other parent may get the child for Thanksgiving. Often times the holiday breaks will be alternated between the parents with one parent receiving Thanksgiving and/or Christmas in odd numbered years and the other in even numbered years.
- Summers. A
child will typically spend much more time with the out-of-state parent during summer vacation. Often, the out-of-state parent's time-sharing will begin one week after school has let out and end one week prior to the beginning of the next school year
- Other
Arrangements. There are many different types of arrangements about which you may
wish to speak with a Florida family law attorney.
Electronic Communication
Frequent in-person visits will not always be possible when parents live in two different states. One parent will often go for long periods without seeing the child in-person. Therefore, a long-distance parenting plan should include very specific provisions for how and when each parent will have electronic communication with the child(ren). Skype is a wonderful tool that allows parents to make sure that their child(ren) see them regularly even when they are apart, and the ease of use of cell phones will often allow for daily contact between the non-time-sharing parent and the child(ren).
Travel
Arrangements
If your child has to fly or take public transportation to
the noncustodial parent, you should make arrangements specifying how the travel
is handled. For young children, you may want the the parenting beginning their time-sharing to pick up
the child. You will also want to specify who pays for the travel.
There are many options in crafting a long-distance parenting plan that is specific to your family's needs. It is always advisable to consult with a family law attorney when considering this important task.
