Who Decides? Understanding Shared Parental Responsibility
Parenting is a full-time responsibility, whether or not your child is always with you. When a child lives across two different households, it’s natural that each one will have its own rules, routines, and expectations. But some decisions are too big for one parent to make alone. That’s where shared parental responsibility comes into play. Shared parental responsibility is the standard in Florida and dictates that both parents have a say in significant decisions about their child’s life and welfare. Of course, everyday decisions like what the child wears to school, watches on television, or eats for dinner will depend on the parent currently caring for them. But matters that carry greater weight, like where the child attends school, what type of major discipline is appropriate, and the kind of nonemergency health care the child will receive, require dual input. Many parents wish they had sole parental responsibility — especially when the other parent has not previously taken an interest in the child or does not appear to have their best interests at heart. But sole parental responsibility is rare and generally limited to cases where one parent has abused, neglected, or abandoned the child. A parent unable to make sound decisions due to mental illness or substance abuse may also lose parental responsibility rights. The court will always make this decision in the child’s best interests. It’s only slightly more common for a parenting plan to assign final decision-making authority on particular child care issues. It may occur, for example, when a mother has been much more involved in a child’s special needs at school or a father has taken primary responsibility for a child’s ongoing medical condition. In these cases, the parents still have shared responsibility and have to discuss major decisions. But in an impasse, the parent with final decision-making authority has the ultimate say. So, where does that leave co-parents who disagree on whether their child should attend a private or public school? In most cases, the parents will need to talk the matter out, and someone will need to compromise. But if they cannot agree, one parent can file a motion to have the courts intervene and make a final decision in the child’s best interest. It’s best to avoid this step whenever possible — but when necessary, ensure you have the representation of an experienced family law attorney.
2 Strategies to Remove Rug Stains
Have you ever gone to mop your bathroom floors and found yellow stains on the floor where your bath rugs usually are? No matter how often you mop and scrub, it seems like these stains will never come out. But how do the stains happen? Can they be removed? Why are there stains on the floor? If your rugs stay in the same place for long periods — whether it has a rubber backing or not — they can leave a yellow stain on your floor. If sunlight does not enter your bathroom, the materials on your rug and flooring can oxidize, creating a yellow tint on the floor. Additionally, if you have vinyl flooring, the materials used to create the flooring could cause a chemical reaction with the rug. If your rug has rubber backing, it can also have a chemical reaction with the materials in the vinyl flooring. How can rug stains be removed? Some stains, such as the ones caused by the rubber backing of certain rugs, are permanent. However, you can remove the stain if you have yellow stains from mats without rubber backing. The first strategy involves using sunlight. You want to remove all of your rugs and allow your floor to get as much sunlight as possible — do not put your mats back until the stains have faded. The cons to this method are that some bathrooms do not have windows (or have small windows), and it can take a long time to regain color. Another strategy is to use baking soda. After mopping your floor, wet the stained areas with water and cover the stains with baking soda. Allow the baking soda to set for 10–15 minutes before wiping it away. Repeat this process until the stains are gone. Can yellow stains be prevented? The best thing you can do with rubber and non-rubber backing rugs is to remove the mats when they aren’t used. While some of the yellow stains on your bathroom tiles could be permanent, you can ensure that it will never happen again. These strategies can be used for all rugs on your bathroom, kitchen, living room, and dining room floors.
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