Timesharing and parental responsibility during COVID-19

As you try to keep your children safe during the pandemic emergency, courts are mindful that you may need guidance in terms of your current timesharing arrangement in Florida.

State and county governments have issued orders for residents to remain at home.  Some may call these orders stay-at-home orders; other have shelter-in-place orders.  The Miami family court has issued an amended Order with information that you, as a parent, should carefully review if you have a final judgment, temporary order, settlement timesharing agreement or any other order of the Court awarding parental responsibility or timesharing.

The Order has provisions that can help parents in complying with current orders in their cases as well as to ensure that children continue to have contact with both parents.  While most parents are mindful that their children benefit from contact with both parents, especially during these scary times, some parents regrettably try interfering with parenting time using this COVID-19 emergency as an excuse for the interference.

Download a copy of the order directly from the Miami Family Court website if you have any questions regarding what to do.

As a parent, you face many challenges as you try to keep your children safe during these times.  Keeping a child safe right now also involves their mental health as well as their physical health; and this can be made easier on you by encouraging the child in contact with the other parent.  The bonds between a child and each parent is unique, and contact can go a long way to provide children with a sense of safety and well-being.

Related:

Florida Child Custody