Creating a Time-Sharing Schedule For Your Children

Your time-sharing schedule should include:

• An everyday schedule that shows when the child is with each parent on weekdays and on weekends
• A holiday schedule that shows which parent the child is with for holidays
• A summer break schedule that shows when the child is with each parent during summer break

Other things to consider as you make your schedule:

• Parents should work together to make a schedule they both like

• Your schedule should give your child frequent and consistent contact with both parents

• Your child’s age usually determines how long and how frequent visits are

• Usually all the children in a family stay together for time-sharing

• If parents are not able to agree on a schedule, the court will establish the schedule

Having the courts establish a time-sharing schedule 

Most courts follow similar guidelines when setting up a time-sharing schedule. For the everyday schedule for children 3 and over, there will be one residential parent, usually the one who lives near the child’s school, and one nonresidential parent. The child visits the non-residential parent:

• One evening during the week after school or work to 8:30 pm

• Every other weekend from Friday after school or work to Sunday evening at 6:00 pm or Monday morning when school starts

• If the child has school off on the Friday before the non-residential parent’s weekend, the weekend time starts on Thursday.

• If a child has school off on the Monday after the non-residential parent’s weekend, the weekend ends on Monday evening or Tuesday morning when school starts.

What is the first step in getting a divorce in Florida?

Photo by alexskopje.

The first step is filing a document called Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with the court. This document outlines the claims you have for property and child custody and must be delivered to the other spouse. If you have children, the state of Florida also requires you to attend a seminar on children and divorce.

The Divorce Process in Florida

One of the spouse files for divorce

The spouse filing for divorce is called the Petitioner. They are the one who initiates the procedure with the family law or domestic relations court.

The other spouse receives the divorce papers

The spouse who did not file for divorce is called the Respondent. This spouse will receive the dissolution of marriage papers from a service.

The divorce is filed with the court

The divorce will be handled in the Circuit Court for the county that you live in. The court will assign your divorce a case number and will have jurisdictional rights to grant orders concerning your property, debt division, support, custody, and visitation.

Primary documents are completed and filed

Documents such as the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage are filed. The documents start and finalize the divorce in Florida, along with ten to 20 other documents. The County Clerk’s office will manage all of your paperwork and keep both parties and lawyers informed throughout the process.

Property is divided and distributed

Marital property is always divided equally in the state of Florida. Florida is an, “equitable distribution” state so judges always divide property in the fairest and most equal way.

Spousal support it determined

Spousal support is decided on a case by case basis so not all divorces require spousal support.

Child custody and support is granted

The state of Florida always strives to do what is best for the children involved and typically grants shared custody and only grants sole custody when it’s in the best interest of the child. Child support is based on the amount of income each parent makes. Income is usually verified by examining past W-2’s and with child support worksheets.

• Mental health issues
  • Anxiety: According to psychotherapist Dr. Fran Walfish, anxiety levels rise after a divorce because those experiencing the divorce lose their partner in life. The fears of the outside world become bigger when facing them alone.
  • Depression: For some, the divorce may induce a bout of depression. Many view a divorce as a massive failure in their life, and experience the extreme emotions associated with feeling this way.
  • Addiction: As a spinoff of the depression, some experiencing these lows might turn to substances to help ease their pain. Addiction can very well spin from depression, adding to the negative health effects of divorce.
• 

  Photo by alexskopje.

  Weight Change: Weight change, either weight gain or loss, can easily be a side effect to a divorce. Some turn to fatty, high-calorie comfort foods to self-medicate their pain, while others might lose their appetite all together. Turning to fatty foods can cause weight gain and a loss of appetite may cause extreme weight loss. Others may lose weight as a positive effect of divorce. They see the divorce as the beginning of a new chapter in their lives and turn their life around for the better.

• Insomnia: Some may suffer from insomnia after a divorce. There are many reasons why some might suffer from an inability to sleep either while going through the process of a divorce or after a divorce is finalized. Those newly single may worry about their future alone, those going through a divorce may be stressed out from the process, and those approaching divorce may also be worried about the state of their relationship. It is also not uncommon to experience nightmares after a divorce, according to Dr. Walfish.

To reduce the headaches and negative effects of divorce you experience, give DeVoe law firm a call. Our experienced attorneys can help guide you through the process so you experience as little grief as possible.