In Florida, a timesharing agreement will typically deal with the hassles and stress regarding each parent’s right to have their child(ren) during major holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Fourth of July, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day. Ideally, both parents will strive to reach an agreement during negotiations to ensure the child(ren)’s interests are respected until adulthood. However, an increasingly popular child centric holiday such as Halloween has become a topic of conversation in family law.

Halloween allows children to dress up in their favorite costumes, enjoy a night with friends, and receive endless amounts of candy. However, for parents, the real trick has become respecting the wishes of each parent in their timesharing agreement with the wishes of the child.

In an effort to reduce the stress involved with these situations, here are a few tips that parents can explore:

  • Ensure that the children are not left in the middle. Plan ahead with the other parent to see if the timesharing agreement can be adjusted. Typically, Halloween is included the Holidays section in the standard timesharing plan provided by the Florida Supreme Court.
  • If the parents live in the different neighborhoods, communicate with the other parent to see if the child(ren) could split the evening hours with each parent. This would allow for the child(ren) to spend time with both parents, see friends and family in each neighborhood, and also receive much more candy!
  • Another alternative is having each parent can contribute to the Halloween festivities by decorating together at each parent’s house.
  • Remember that not each circumstance will be ideal. Unfortunately, due to some circumstances, some parents will be less open to the idea of shifting away from the timesharing agreement. If this is the case, remember to have your child(ren)’s happiness in mind. Let them know that you will be fine and to have fun!

If you need assistance with any issues regarding your parenting plan or other family law related concerns, please reach out to us at 407-757-2883.