How do we handle child custody and parenting schedules in a Florida mediation?

Florida law does not use terms like “custody” or “visitation.” Instead, Fla. Stat. $61.13 requires a comprehensive “Parenting Plan” that details “time-sharing” schedules and outlines “parental responsibility.” Parental responsibility refers to who makes major decisions about education, healthcare, and religious upbringing, which is typically shared equally unless shared choice would be detrimental to the child. During mediation, you will build a detailed calendar specifying where the children sleep every night of the year, including alternating holidays, school breaks, and birthdays. Mediators are highly skilled at helping parents focus on the best interests of the children rather than their grievances with each other. The resulting agreement must be highly specific; vague setups like “reasonable time-sharing upon agreement” are routinely rejected by Florida judges.