How can you navigate a long-distance time sharing plan?

After a divorce, your whole family undergoes a shift in dynamics. For most people, divorce is difficult to navigate, particularly when children are involved. When you begin to live your life separately from your former spouse, major changes can happen in your life. You or your ex could want to move to a different location, but if you choose to, you must adjust your parenting plan.

In Florida, you need a long-distance parenting plan if you live 50 or more miles apart.

What must you include in the plan?

The plan needs to outline all of the responsibilities of both parents. The responsibilities include healthcare, decision-making, holidays, extracurricular activities and communication. When parents live a long distance from one another, communication becomes critical between parents and children. The parenting plan must include how often both parents speak to their kids and through what platforms.

What happens if one of you does not follow the plan?

The long-distance parenting plan emphasizes the importance of communication between parents and their children. If one of you fails to communicate during scheduled times or does not show up for visitation or pick-ups, the court can take punitive measures against the parent.

Also, parents cannot restrict another parent’s visitation. For example, if you agree to pick up and drop off your children at an equal distance from your homes, but your spouse refuses to bring the children, he or she may be in contempt of the time-sharing plan.

When it comes to creating a time-sharing plan, working with your former spouse may have the most positive outcomes.