Deciding on your child custody plan is among the most important things you’ll do during your divorce. You need to make sure that your child is going to be cared for at all times and that they are living in healthy, happy households.
Although it may be difficult to imagine yourself having less time with your child, it is important for you to come up with a custody schedule that works for you and the other parent. In most cases, judges like to see parents sharing custody as equally as possible.
What are some common custody arrangements?
There are several different custody schedules that are common in divorced families. Three of them include:
- The 5-2 schedule, where one parent has custody five days of the week and the other has custody for two days
- The every-other-weekend schedule, where one parent has custody every other weekend
- The 3-2-2-3 schedule, where parents alternate custody between two and three days at a time
The kind of schedule you’ll choose will depend on your child’s age and maturity as well as your own schedule and responsibilities.
Younger children do well with custody schedules where they see both parents regularly, like the 3-2-2-3 schedule. Older children, like those in school, may benefit from a 5-2 schedule, or a 5-2 schedule that alternates biweekly. The choice that will work for you will depend on many factors, which you can talk about with your attorney as you continue forward with the process of your divorce. With the right information and education, you can come up with a custody schedule that will work for your family.