Parenting Partner Relationships

Over the last several decades, the concept of what constitutes a family has evolved. It has been a long time since all parenting partners were a married man and woman living in the same household. These days, families and parents come in all different configurations. Co-parents may be a married couple, divorced, or never-married. They may be of the same sex or opposite sex. They may have a romantic history, or be platonic friends. They may be in the same household or different households. They may have a cordial relationship with each other, or struggle to get along.

But no matter what their family situation looks like, most parents have in common the desire to give their children a happy, secure upbringing. Parenting is a great privilege and a great challenge, and there are hundreds of ways to approach the many issues that will arise in the course of a childhood. It can be difficult for parents to get on the same page when they are in the thick of a parenting issue. Taking time to think about your needs and goals in advance of a problem can head off unnecessary conflict.

Of course, it is impossible to anticipate and plan in advance for every possible situation you will face as a parent. Even so, it can be helpful to plan for how you will handle certain situations that are likely to come up. ART Family Law and attorney Heather Mulroney can help you plan for a successful co-parenting relationship.

Co-Parenting Agreements for Florida Parenting Partners

A co-parenting agreement or parenting partner agreement allows you and your co-parent to make decisions about how you will handle various aspects of parenting, and your respective rights and responsibilities. A court may or may not enforce the terms of your agreement; family courts focus on the best interests of the child, not an agreement between parents. But having an agreement is more likely to help you avoid a dispute that ends up in court. The very process of negotiating an agreement helps to identify areas that need resolution before there is a crisis.

Just as all families are different, co-parenting agreements should be unique. Depending on their circumstances, families may need to address a variety of issues. A co-parenting agreement might address such issues as:

• The right to name an as-yet unborn child, including which last name the child will have;
• Whose name(s) will appear on the birth certificate as parent(s);
• If legal action such as adoption is required to establish one or both parents’ legal relationship to the child, who will be responsible for legal fees;
• How each parent will contribute financially for the child’s needs;
• Who will provide health insurance coverage for the child, and who will be responsible for paying for it;
• Who will claim the child as a dependent for income tax purposes;
• Allocation of parenting time, including holidays and vacations;
• Creation of an estate plan to provide for the child and name a guardian;
• Creation and funding of an account for college or other educational expenses;
• Who will make major decisions regarding the child’s education, religious upbringing, and medical care;
• Ground rules regarding how/when the child will be introduced to parents’ future romantic partners;
• How to resolve future parenting disputes, including agreeing to mediate or use other alternative dispute resolution (ADR);
• Which state’s laws will govern any future disputes, especially if co-parents reside in different states.

In general, a co-parenting agreement should be specific enough to provide meaningful guidance for issues that are likely to arise and flexible enough to work in real life. The point of having an agreement is to prevent disputes, to make it easier to co-parent, and of course, to create a better life for your child.

South Florida Family Law Attorney for Parenting Partners

Whatever your family looks like, attorney Heather Mulroney can help you to get, and stay, on the right track with a co-parenting agreement. With empathy and an open mind, Heather will help you to identify areas of need and concern and to craft an agreement to address them.

As every parent soon discovers, parenting holds its share of joys and challenges. While you can’t foresee every potential bump in the road, you can thoughtfully plan how to work together with your co-parent in your child’s best interest. To learn more about planning for parenting partner relationships, please contact ART Family Law to schedule a consultation.