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Schedules With Weekdays & Weekends for Both Parents

Mixed weekday and weekend schedules give both parents regular time with their child during weekdays and weekends.

In these joint physical custody arrangements, the child spends between six and eight overnights with each parent over two weeks. Then the schedule repeats.

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2-2-6-4 (60/40 division of parenting time)

In the 2-2-6-4 schedule, the child spends two days with the first parent, then two days with the second parent. Then, they spend six days with the first parent, followed by four days with the second parent.

With this 60/40 schedule, the first parent has approximately 60 percent of parenting time, and the other has the remaining 40 percent.

3-2-4-5 (50/50 division of parenting time)

In the 3-2-4-5 schedule, the child spends three days with the first parent, then two with the second, followed by four days with the first parent and five days with the second.

In this division, parents share time equally (50/50).

Customize your mixed weekday and weekend schedule

You can adapt either of these schedules to best meet your child's needs and your specific situation.

Customize exchange times

Parents can choose exchange times that work best for them, the child's school schedule and, if necessary, third-party caregivers.

For example, to reduce parent interaction, this custom 3-2-4-5 schedule has parents pick up and drop off the child at school on weekdays.

Change the order of visits

Parents can rearrange the order of visits in the two-week rotation.

For example, you might switch up the 3-2-4-5 schedule so the order of visits is reversed: the child spends five days with the first parent, then four with the second parent, followed by two days with the first parent and three days with the second (5-4-2-3).

Add third-party time

Third-party time is when a child is not with either parent — e.g., when they're at school or with a babysitter.

Adding third-party time to your schedule helps you stay organized and get an accurate calculation of each parent's time. Depending on your court, you may be able to exclude third-party time from parenting time calculations.

This modified 6-4-2-2 schedule has third-party time for when the child is with a grandparent after school three days a week.

Pros and cons of these schedules

There are a number of potential advantages and disadvantages to these schedules, depending on your situation. Parents should evaluate what works best considering their child's age, ability to adapt to change, school schedule and other factors.

Pros:

Both parents get a regular mix of weekdays and weekends, giving them a variety of time with their child.
The setup accommodates work schedules that don't follow a typical Monday–Friday.
The child sees both parents frequently.
Similar amounts and types of parenting time (weekdays and weekends) may prevent conflict over the schedule.

Cons:

These schedules aren't as easy to remember as simpler ones (for example, alternating weeks).
The frequent exchanges require parents to live fairly close and see each other often.
Both parents may need to live close to the child's school or third-party caregivers.
The child must adapt to frequently switching between homes.

The easiest way to make a mixed weekday and weekend schedule

There's a lot to think about when you build a parenting time schedule. You'll want it to address holidays and school breaks, give the right amount of time to each parent, and work for years to come.