Statutory requirements
Florida Statute 61.13(2)(b) lists the mandatory elements of a parenting plan. The plan must be in writing, signed by both parents, and approved by the court. Florida Supreme Court approved forms provide a structured template that meets these requirements.
- Description of how parents will share daily tasks of upbringing
- Timesharing schedule specifying the time each parent has with the child
- Designation of which parent is responsible for school-related forms and healthcare
- Methods and technologies parents will use to communicate with the child
- Allocation of parental responsibility for major decisions
Common Florida timesharing schedules
Florida law does not mandate any particular schedule. Parents may agree on any arrangement that serves the child's best interest. Several patterns are common.
- Equal timesharing, week-on/week-off, or 2-2-5-5 rotations
- School year with one parent and extended summer with the other (often used when parents live in different counties)
- Alternating weekends with one parent and weekday majority with the other
- Bird's-nest arrangements where children remain in one home and parents rotate (less common, requires close cooperation)
Decision-making authority
Florida defaults to 'shared parental responsibility,' meaning both parents jointly make major decisions about education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. The court may grant ultimate decision-making authority on specific topics to one parent when shared responsibility would be detrimental to the child.
Holiday and special-day scheduling
Strong Florida parenting plans spell out holidays, school breaks, birthdays, and Mother's Day / Father's Day. Detailed schedules reduce future disputes and are the parts judges scrutinize most carefully.