When your kids are part of your divorce, there is simply no way to avoid the fact that they’re going to have to split their time between your home and the other parent’s. While it’s frustrating to lose time with your children, something that can make you feel better is getting the right kind of custody schedule in place.
There are many kinds of custody schedules that you can try. There are schedules with alternating weeks, schedules where parents exchange custody every other weekend and many others. Finding the right schedule for you is possible.
What are some common schedules that parents use?
Some common schedules parents use for custody include:
- Alternating weeks
- Alternating every two days
- Alternating 3-4-4-3
- 60-40 schedules with extended weekends
- 70-30 schedules with one parent receiving custody every 3rd week or every 3rd day
…and many others. The schedule that works for your situation may be completely unique from what works for others.
How can you set up the right schedule for your kids?
The first thing you will need to do is to think about your schedule. Do you have to work? What days are you truly unavailable? Keep this in mind when you speak with your ex-spouse about their schedule.
You can start by comparing the schedules. If there are days when you’re available and they are not, then it makes sense for you to take over custody on those days and vice-versa. For example, if you work Monday through Wednesday but your ex-spouse works Monday through Friday, it would make the most sense for you to have custody on Thursday and Friday. That’s a good starting point.
You then would have to sit down and work out how to address custody on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On those days, you could look at your schedule more specifically, seeing who has the most time, who is available to take the kids to school or activities and so on. For most people, looking closely at their personal schedules makes it easier to see what custody schedule needs to be in place.
If your workdays overlap completely, for example, you both work from Monday through Friday at the same time, then you may need to be more creative with your schedule. Your attorney will talk to you about what they’ve seen work for other parents in your situation, so you can come up with a schedule that works for you.
