The 3-4-4-3 custody schedule

Three nights, then four, then the reverse. Even time with a rotating weekend and only four exchanges a fortnight.

50/50

time split (50% / 50%)

7 / 7

overnights per 14 nights

4

exchanges per 14 nights

3-4-4-3 on a two-week calendar

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Week 1AAABBBB
Week 2AAAABBB
A = Parent AB = Parent BEach cell is one overnight. The pattern repeats every two weeks.
See 3-4-4-3 on your datesBuild a 12-month 3-4-4-3 calendar

Full guide: The 4-3 and 3-4-4-3 Custody Schedules Explained

Which ages the 3-4-4-3 schedule suits

Families who want a 50/50 with shorter blocks than week-on week-off but fewer exchanges than 2-2-3.

  • Infants (0 to 18 months)●○○
  • Toddlers (18 months to 3)●●○
  • Preschool (3 to 5)●●●
  • School age (6 to 12)●●●
  • Teens (13+)●●○

Pros and cons of 3-4-4-3

Works well

  • Four exchanges per fortnight
  • No block longer than four nights
  • Weekends alternate

Watch out for

  • Weekdays shift each week, so it is harder for children to memorize than 5-2-2-5
  • The four-night blocks fall midweek, which can cut across activities

What your parenting plan should say

Describe the full cycle in days and times, not as a percentage. Name the parent who starts and the date the cycle begins, state where exchanges happen, and say that the holiday schedule overrides this one. Sample wording:

In week one, Parent A shall have the children from Monday after school until Thursday morning and Parent B from Thursday after school until Monday morning. In week two, Parent A shall have the children from Monday after school until Friday morning and Parent B from Friday after school until Monday morning.

Adapt the day names and times to your family. This is sample wording, not legal advice for your case.

Write the 3-4-4-3 schedule into your agreement

The Complete Co-Parenting Kit includes the fillable parenting agreement with a ready-made schedule section, holiday clauses and a completion guide, plus the 30-Day Reset workbook and 20 message scripts for proposing a schedule to a reluctant co-parent.

See what is in the Kit ($297)

Delivered by email. 30-day money-back guarantee.

3-4-4-3 schedule: questions parents ask

Is 3-4-4-3 the same as 4-3?

No. 4-3 is a weekly 60/40 pattern (four nights with one parent, three with the other, every week). 3-4-4-3 alternates who gets four nights, which makes it 50/50 over two weeks.

Who gets the weekend in 3-4-4-3?

It alternates. In the version above, Parent B has the weekend both weeks but the weekday split changes. Many families shift the start day so the weekend itself alternates. The visualizer shows both.

How many exchanges are there?

Four per fortnight.

Is 3-4-4-3 good for toddlers?

It is workable from about three upwards. Four nights is a long gap for a two-year-old.

What should the plan say?

Write out both weeks separately with the exact changeover days and times, then state that the two-week cycle repeats.

Other 50/50 schedules

  • 2-2-3: Never more than two or three nights apart. The most common 50/50 schedule for toddlers and preschoolers.
  • 2-2-5-5: Fixed weekdays for each parent plus alternating long weekends. A gentle step up from 2-2-3.
  • 5-2-2-5: Each parent keeps the same two weekdays every week and weekends alternate. The most popular 50/50 for school-age children.
  • 3-3-4-4: Fixed three-night blocks for each parent, then the four-night weekend block alternates.

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