Balancing Child Time-Sharing In Fort Lauderdale As A Newly Divorced Parent

Divorce brings about profound changes in every area of your life, but one of the most significant adjustments is learning how to balance parenting responsibilities. For newly divorced parents in Fort Lauderdale, this transition often means adapting to child time-sharing schedules, learning to co-parent effectively, and protecting your child’s safety and well-being through all the changes.
Our Fort Lauderdale child custody attorney understands how challenging this process can be. We explain how child time-sharing laws in Florida apply and offer practical strategies for balancing your responsibilities in your new life as a divorced parent.
Florida Child Time-Sharing Laws and Common Challenges Divorced Parents Face
When parents go through divorce proceedings in Fort Lauderdale, the family court’s top priority is protecting the best interests of the children involved. Under the Florida Statutes, child time-sharing arrangements are generally encouraged by judges and allow both parents to maintain active, engaged roles in their child’s life.
These arrangements require creating a parenting plan, which is generally negotiated through your divorce attorney and details each parent’s rights and responsibilities. Parenting plans in Florida dictate how much time the child spends in each parent’s home, rights to extended visits over holidays or school breaks, decision-making responsibilities, and how the parents communicate about their child.
While designed to protect the child and maintain a healthy connection to both parents, navigating the terms of your parenting plan can be difficult at first. Common challenges newly divorced parents often face include:
- Adjusting to new living arrangements which can be emotionally difficult for parents and children;
- Adjusting to new schedules, which often creates additional stress at first;
- Logistical issues, such as coordinating pick-ups, drop-offs, and extracurricular activities;
- Balancing changes and increased demands in your work schedule;
- Communication issues between parents;
- Disputes over the terms of the divorce or the parenting plan;
- Emotional impacts on children, which may make them more likely to act out in different ways.
Tips To Make Adjusting To A Fort Lauderdale Parenting Plan Easier
Balancing your parenting responsibilities while navigating the terms of a parenting plan after a Fort Lauderdale divorce requires patience, mutual cooperation, and an underlying commitment to put your child’s needs first. Practical tips for making this adjustment include:
- Follow the terms of your parenting plan closely;
- Communicate clearly and in a manner that is respectful of the other parent;
- Prioritize your child’s well-being by reducing conflict and schedule disruptions;
- Remain flexible and realize that unexpected issues are bound to arise;
- Make the effort to work with the other parent;
- Get additional help when needed, such as if they refuse to comply with the terms of your parenting plan.
To Protect Your Rights, Contact Our Fort Lauderdale Child Time-Sharing Attorney
Balancing parenting responsibilities after a divorce can be challenging, but you don’t have to face it alone. Fort Lauderdale child time-sharing attorney Sandra Bonfiglio provides the trusted guidance and the experienced legal representation you need in creating a parenting plan and making any necessary changes. To protect your rights, reach out to our office. Schedule a consultation today.
Sources:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0061/Sections/0061.13.html
flcourts.gov/content/download/686031/file_pdf/995a.pdf