Many parents feel nervous in the beginning when they have joint physical custody because change is uncomfortable. No longer having your child with you every day will take some time to adjust to. Florida allows you to know where your child is on visitation, especially if their other parent leaves them with a babysitter, friend or someone else. However, you should respect their visitation time.
Bringing someone else around your child
Although the other parent can’t leave your child with someone else without your agreement, they can bring other people around your child during their visitation. If you have a reason to believe someone they have around your child isn’t safe, then you can bring up the issue with the court. An example is if you know that person is doing drugs or some other illegal activity.
Keep each other up to date on the contact information
Your spouse must keep you current on their address, personal phone number, and work number, and you must also do the same for them. The court may make an exception if domestic violence occurred during your relationship for your safety.
Tracking your child
You may want to consider how tracking your child without their knowledge will affect your relationship with them. Older children will feel like you don’t trust them and have a bad reaction to finding out. Be careful about how you approach it with a younger child too. If they notice you are extremely worried whenever they aren’t with you, they could develop anxiety problems as they learn the world isn’t a safe place for them. They may also begin wondering if their other parent isn’t a safe person for them to be with. Finding a balance between looking after your child’s well-being and allowing them visitation time is important.
Resist the urge to frequently check on your child
You probably want to enjoy uninterrupted time with your child when they are with you. When a parent frequently calls or texts to check on their child, the other parent tends to perceive it as an ill intent to ruin their visitation time. Whether you have sole child custody or joint custody, it’s important to let them have their time.
Each parent has the right to know where their child is after a divorce unless a court order states otherwise. However, you must keep it in moderation. Frequently checking in on your child is interfering with the other parent’s visitation rights.
