NAPLES Parental Time Sharing Lawyers

Parenting Plan Attorneys Serving Naples & South Florida

Establishing parental time sharing, also known as child custody, is often one of the most emotionally charged aspects of a divorce. Each parent will typically want to spend as much time as possible with their child or children, to maintain a meaningful relationship even after a divorce. Establishing a plan that is in the best interests of the children and one that is also reasonable for the parents can be challenging.

At Long, Murphy & Shemkus, P.A., we encourage our clients to work amicably with their child's (or children's) other parent to arrive at an effective parenting plan that is most beneficial for the child. During divorce, our Naples attorneys believe the biggest factor that will impact a child's growth and development is the quality of the post-divorce relationships with both parents. This is why we encourage parents to work together and treat each other civilly to arrive at plans that allow them to equally share parental responsibility.

What Is Involved in a Parenting Plan?

A typical parenting plan might include agreements regarding:

• The time each parent spends with the child
• Vacation and holiday time
• Medical decisions
• Education decisions
• International travel
• Religion
• Responsibilities and costs of the child's activities
• Life insurance
• Child support

What is an ideal visitation schedule for an infant or toddler?

For children less than 2.5 years of age, child psychologists argue this is a critical time age for a parent to bond with his or her child and establish themselves as his or her primary caretaker. At this age, children are just learning to develop trust for others.

Therefore, any lengthy separations between the child and his or her caregiver can lead him or her to regress developmentally or enter a depressive state. It may also result in future separation anxiety.

Most child psychologists advocate for children to spend time with both parents at this stage as a way to build a healthy foundation for the child. They note that when separation anxiety creeps in, a child can find comfort in looking at images of toys they have at their other parent's home as a way of coping.

Resolving Parental Time Sharing Disputes in South Florida

If a dispute arises during parenting plan negotiations that cannot be resolved, the court will consider issues such as the history of child rearing, the availability of both parents, and whether each parent will promote a meaningful relationship with the other parent. If the parents cannot reach an agreement, we may recommend a parenting evaluation by a psychologist.

In representing parents across South Florida, our Naples parenting plan lawyers utilize more than 100 years of combined legal experience to pursue the best possible results. We know what is at stake and deliver quality counsel to navigate these complex proceedings.

For more information on parenting time schedules, check out our blog post:

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  What Is a Parenting Agreement?