If you share custody of your children with your former spouse after divorce, there will be different considerations as the two of you create a parenting plan. While you may ponder regular events to schedule for your children, you should also consider how long it takes to drive to each event.

According to Florida law, a family court can look at many factors to determine the best interest of your children, including making sure your parenting plan does not require your children to travel too far on a regular basis.

How Florida law views geographic viability

Florida law states that parents must be able to take their children reasonable distances to carry out a parenting plan. State courts pay particular attention to how travel affects the needs of children who are still school-age. If it looks like your parenting plan requires your child to be on the road for hours on a regular basis, a court might question how your plan can work.

Florida law also takes into account how long a child has resided in a nurturing and stable community. A parenting plan that regularly takes your children too far from the area they know could raise a red flag with the court.

Geographic viability does not prohibit relocation

Keep in mind that a geographically compact parenting plan does not make a judgment for or against your desire to move somewhere else for job opportunities. If you are considering relocating to a different community, you may address that issue apart from your parenting plan.

Consider the best plan for your children

A geographically compact parenting plan does not rule out long-range travel for events like vacations, but it should keep disruptions in the lives of your children to a minimum. Using a mapping app on your phone may help you understand when your time-sharing with your children is sharing too much time on the road.