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Fort Myers, FL asked in Child Custody and Family Law for Florida

Q: Am I obligated to share vacation details of my child with my ex-wife?

I have a temporary full-time parenting agreement with my ex-wife since she resides in another state, except for summer travel when my daughter visits her. The agreement states we should be "reasonably informed" about our child's whereabouts, but we typically only share general information, not specifics like flight details. Currently, my daughter will be staying at someone else's home without me for part of her vacation. My ex-wife has not previously expressed concern about where she stays during vacations, but now demands specific details after I inquired about my daughter's travel plans back to me. Given our history of disputes and her recent move, am I obligated to share detailed information about where my daughter stays during vacations?

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2 Lawyer Answers

A: You are only obligated to share as much information about your child's vacation as your parenting plan requires. If your plan specifies you must be “reasonably informed” of whereabouts, the general practice, like sharing dates, location, and contact info, is sufficient, unless your agreement says otherwise. However, if she believes more detail is beneficial or the plan is too vague, she may request a modification of the parenting plan to include specifics or negotiate a supplemental agreement voluntarily, which the court can incorporate. If your ex wants more detail, that's a matter for a modification or agreement, not a legal requirement under your current plan unless it expressly demands specifics. A modest update to the plan could prevent future friction.

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Answered

A: You must provide “reasonable” information about your daughter’s whereabouts, but that term does not force you to disclose every flight number or exact address.

Under Florida’s parenting‐plan requirement to “reasonably inform” the other parent, you should continue sharing basic details—dates, cities, and general lodging arrangements—so your ex-wife knows where your daughter will be. Specific names, street addresses, or flight itineraries go beyond “reasonable” notice unless the court has ordered tighter security measures or there is credible safety concern.

If your daughter will stay with another family, you can simply inform your ex-wife of the caregiver’s name, relationship, and contact phone number rather than the full address. Unless the parenting plan or a court order demands more, you aren’t obligated to reveal every logistical detail, and you may politely decline further requests as unreasonable.

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