3 Ideas For Child Custody Schedules
One of the challenging parts of a child custody battle is figuring out a custody schedule. Even if you want to split custody 50/50, it may not be what is practical and fair to the child. Here are some ways that you can split custody.
The 2-2-3 Schedule
What works great about the 2-2-3 schedule is that it alternates with each parent over a two-week period and evenly divides up the 14 days. One parent gets Monday and Tuesday, the other gets Wednesday and Thursday, and then back to the first parent for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The parents flop days for the next week to make it all even. It ensures that during the week, a child stays with one parent for two days at the time and gets a full weekend with each parent over a two-week period. It avoids the craziness of switching parents every single day but doesn't keep you away from your kid for too long.
The Alternating Week Schedule
If you feel like the 2-2-3 schedule has too many points where custody changes, consider a simplified schedule where you are alternate weeks. You pick a day during the week where custody will change, which can be a weekend day or the start of the school day on Monday, and then switch off with the other parent for a full 7 days. While you may not like being away from your child for so long, it can provide a lot of stability that they need to be successful in school.
Some parents take this a step further and create a two-week alternative schedule, where the child is with each parent for two consecutive weeks at a time before changing who has custody.
The 3-4-4-3 Schedule
As you can imagine, coming up with a 50/50 custody schedule is a matter of figuring out how to divide 14 days between two parents. A 3-4-4-3 schedule takes the concept of the 2-2-3 schedule but makes the period with each parent longer. The start of the schedule would begin on Monday, which gives each parent a full weekend of custody rather than splitting it during the weekend. It gives you more consecutive days with your child, which can provide more stability.
Can't find a custody arrangement that will work for you? Reach out to a lawyer near you about child custody options for you and your family. They will be happy to help.