Parenting Plans: What Are They?

By Angela R. Neave, Esquire

If you have children under the age of 18 and decide it is best for your family that you and your spouse divorce, you will have a parenting plan. What is a parenting plan? A parenting plan is a separate document agreed to by you and your spouse, or ordered and entered by the Court, which details parental responsibility for the minor children, what days during the month the children will spend with you and your spouse, how holidays and vacations are divided between you and your spouse, and how you and your spouse determine and share the cost of uncovered health related expenses, extra-curricular activities and other child related expenses.

Generally, you and your spouse will share parental responsibility for your children meaning you must confer and agree on all major decisions for your children including their education, which extra-curricular activities they will participate in, and medical, dental and vision treatment. There are other options regarding parental responsibility, however they generally do not apply to most families.

Contained within the parenting plan is the timesharing schedule which details which days each week, and which weekends the children will spend with you and your spouse, how you will divide, share or alternate school breaks and holidays, and any other scheduling issue unique to your family. The parenting plan will anticipate many if not all parenting issues that may develop as your children grow into adulthood, and assist you and your soon to be former spouse with all child-related decisions.

If you have questions about a parenting plan, custody, timesharing, and child issues during a divorce, and want to discuss your options with an attorney, call Angela R. Neave, Esquire, at (954) 981-2200 for a free consultation.