Mediating a Parenting Plan: Putting the Children First
Short answer: Mediating a parenting plan lets parents design a time-sharing schedule, decision-making arrangement and communication rules around their children's actual lives. The plan must still meet Florida's requirements and serve the child's best interests, and once signed and approved by the court, it becomes an enforceable order.
Nobody knows a child's routine better than the parents. Mediation gives you the chance to write a parenting plan that fits school pickups, sports seasons, shift work and family traditions, instead of leaving those details to a judge.
What the plan must cover
- A time-sharing schedule for weekdays, weekends, holidays, school breaks and summer
- How major decisions about school, health care and religion are made
- Which address is used for school designation
- How parents communicate and how the child contacts each parent
- Exchanges: when, where and who drives
- Travel rules, including out-of-state and international travel
Questions to work through
- What does the school week look like?. Consider distance between homes, work hours and the child's activities.
- How will holidays rotate?. Alternating years, splitting the day, or assigning holidays by tradition.
- What about summer?. Equal blocks, extended time for a long-distance parent, or the regular schedule.
- How will you decide together?. Agree on how to handle disagreements, such as a consultation step or returning to mediation.
- How will the plan grow?. A schedule for a toddler may need to change for a teenager. Build in review points.
The presumption and agreements: Florida presumes equal time-sharing is in a child's best interests, but parents can agree to any schedule that serves the child. Mediation is where that flexibility is most useful.
Keep the focus on the children
Child-focused
- "What does she need on school nights?"
- Consistent bedtimes and routines across homes
- Supporting the child's relationship with both parents
Parent-focused
- "I want more time than you"
- Using the schedule to settle scores
- Counting days instead of meeting needs
The best parenting plans are specific enough to prevent arguments and flexible enough to survive real life.
Make it precise
Vague terms like "reasonable time" or "as agreed" lead to conflict later. Specify exchange times, which parent has Thanksgiving in odd years, and how the summer is divided. Details that seem obvious today become disputes next year.
When to talk to a lawyer
Heather Harris Law helps Brevard County parents prepare for family mediation and draft parenting plans that work in practice. For background on the rules, see time-sharing and parenting plans in Florida.
Frequently asked questions
Can parents agree to any schedule at mediation?
Parents can agree to any schedule the court finds is in the child's best interests. Courts generally approve reasonable agreements.
Is a mediated parenting plan enforceable?
Yes. Once signed and approved by the court, it becomes an order that can be enforced like any other.
Can a mediated parenting plan be changed later?
Parents can agree to changes and have them approved, or a parent can seek a modification by showing a substantial change in circumstances and that the change serves the child.
Heather Harris Law, 650 South Courtenay Parkway, Suite 101, Merritt Island, FL 32952. Call (321) 452-7055. Heather Harris spent thirteen years as an Assistant State Attorney before opening her practice and is licensed in Florida and Alabama. This article is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.