How to Choose the Right Custody Schedule for Your Family
There is no single best custody schedule — only the one that fits your child's age, your geography, and how well you and your co-parent cooperate. This complete guide helps you choose.
Parenting Plans & Custody
25 expert articles on parenting plans & custody for US co-parents.
12 Parenting Plan Examples (With Sample Wording You Can Copy)
Seeing how a parenting plan is actually worded makes writing your own far easier. Here are 12 example clauses — schedule, holidays, communication, decisions, and more — to adapt.
What Does 50/50 Custody Actually Look Like? 8 Real Schedule Examples
50/50 custody means equal time, but it can be arranged in many different ways. Here are eight real schedules that all split time evenly — with calendars — so you can see what fits.
The Best Custody Schedules by Age: From Toddlers to Teens
The right custody schedule changes as your child grows. What works for a toddler can frustrate a teenager. Here's how to match the arrangement to your child's developmental stage.
The 4-3 and 3-4-4-3 Custody Schedules Explained
The 4-3 gives one parent a slight majority of time; the 3-4-4-3 alternates that edge to reach a true 50/50. Both offer a middle ground between short rotations and full weeks.
Every Other Weekend: How the Standard Visitation Schedule Works
The most common arrangement in US family courts: one parent has primary residence and the other has alternating weekends, often with a weekday evening. Here's how it really works.
The 2-2-5-5 Custody Schedule Explained (With Calendar)
The 2-2-5-5 gives each parent the same two weekdays every week plus alternating five-day weekend blocks — combining the predictability parents want with the balance children need.
Week-On, Week-Off Custody Schedule (Alternating Weeks): Pros, Cons & Examples
The simplest 50/50 schedule of all: one full week with each parent. It minimizes handovers and works beautifully for older children — but the week-long gap isn't right for everyone.
The 5-2-2-5 Custody Schedule: A Complete Guide With Examples
The 5-2-2-5 schedule gives children predictable weekdays at each home and longer, calmer blocks than a 2-2-3 — making it a favorite for school-age kids in 50/50 arrangements.
The 2-2-3 Custody Schedule: How It Works (With Calendar Examples)
The 2-2-3 schedule is one of the most popular 50/50 arrangements for younger children because no child goes more than three days without seeing either parent. Here's exactly how it works.
Sample Parenting Plan Communication Clauses (With Wording You Can Use)
The communication section of a parenting plan is one of the most under-written parts of most agreements.
Long-Distance Co-Parenting: A Communication Guide for Parents Living Apart
Long-distance co-parenting can absolutely work. It takes a more intentional system than local co-parenting does.
Parental Custody Agreement: What It Is, What to Include, and How to Make It Legal
One of the most important legal documents a separating family will ever create. Getting it right from the start saves enormous conflict and legal cost later.
Co-Parenting Plans for Toddlers: Schedules That Work for Young Children
Children under 3 have very different developmental needs than older children — and the parenting schedule needs to reflect those needs, not just adult convenience.
Digital Tools That Make Co-Parenting Communication Easier
From shared calendars to messaging platforms, the right technology transforms chaotic co-parenting into something structured and manageable.
Printable Co-Parenting Plans: How a Written Agreement Improves Communication
A well-structured written plan establishes the communication framework that determines whether two parents can raise their children cooperatively.
Simplify Your 50/50 Custody Scheduling with Balanced Custody Scheduling Tools
When both parents share equal time, organizing days, holidays, and special events requires careful planning. Balanced scheduling tools make it manageable.
How to Build a Parenting Agreement When You're Barely Talking
Some of the most functional arrangements are built by parents who can barely be in the same room. What matters is agreeing on what your children need.
Parenting Plan for Infants and Toddlers: What's Different When Your Child Is Under 3
A parenting plan for an infant or toddler is fundamentally different from one for a school-age child. Here's what to build it around.
Holiday Custody Schedule: How to Split Christmas, Thanksgiving and School Breaks
Holiday schedules are where most parenting agreements either work or fall apart. Here's how to build one that holds up year after year.
50/50 Custody: The Complete Guide for American Parents (2026)
50/50 custody is now the fastest-growing custody arrangement in the United States. Here's how it works and whether it's right for your family.
Parenting Plan Template: What to Include and How to Write One
Courts expect a detailed written plan, and without one, judges fill in the gaps — and the result may not reflect what either parent wants.
How to Build a Co-Parenting Custody Schedule That Works for Your Family
How do you split time fairly while keeping disruption to a minimum for your children? The right schedule depends on age, work, geography, and cooperation. Here's how to build one.
How to Create a Parenting Plan That Actually Works: A Step-by-Step Guide
Done well, a parenting plan provides stability for your children, clarity for both parents, and a legal framework that courts can enforce.
Joint Custody vs. Sole Custody: What Every American Parent Needs to Know
One of the most consequential decisions in any US divorce or separation involving children.