Generally speaking, Florida law allows both parents to spend time with their children during the summer months. Therefore, it is important that you work out a custody plan with your former partner that allows your son or daughter to enjoy his or her time away from school.
Create a parenting plan several months in advance
Ideally, the framework for a summer parenting plan will be put into place months before your child is done with the school year. This will make it easier to make adjustments to account for events such as a graduation, a birthday party or other gatherings that may be scheduled later in the year.
If you’re the parent of an older child, putting a plan together in advance can minimize the risk that it will cause unreasonable conflicts with his or her work or social schedule. A family law attorney may be able to help with the process of putting such a plan together.
Don’t let personal problems interfere with your child’s happiness
If you can’t spend time with your former partner without a conflict arising, it’s better to schedule private outings with your son or daughter. Furthermore, you shouldn’t use your partner’s lack of funds as an excuse to deny your child an experience such as going to an amusement park.
In the event that the other parent can’t afford to pay for admission, snacks or other related expenses, you should simply pay those costs on your own. Assuming that you have a good relationship with this person, there is a good chance that he or she will return the favor at some point in the future.
An attorney may be able to help you create a parenting plan that meets the best interest of the child standard. Alternatively, he or she may be able to help you resolve a custody or visitation dispute in a timely and amicable manner. This may allow you to enjoy a quality relationship with your child without doing anything to undermine your former partner’s ability to be an effective parent.
