The 5-2 custody schedule
Five weeknights with one parent and the weekend with the other, every week. About 70/30.
70/30
time split (71% / 29%)
5 / 2
overnights per 7 nights
2
exchanges per 7 nights
5-2 on a two-week calendar
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | A | A | A | A | A | B | B |
| Week 2 | A | A | A | A | A | B | B |
Which ages the 5-2 schedule suits
Families where one parent travels or works long hours in the week and the other parent manages school.
- 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 5-2
Works well
- Very simple and consistent
- Two exchanges a week
- The weekend parent gets quality time without school logistics
Watch out for
- The weekday parent never gets a weekend off unless the plan rotates them
- The weekend parent is cut out of school life
- Unequal, which affects child support in most states
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:
Parent A shall have the children from Sunday evening until Friday after school each week. Parent B shall have the children from Friday after school until Sunday evening each week. Every fourth weekend shall be with Parent A.
Adapt the day names and times to your family. This is sample wording, not legal advice for your case.
Write the 5-2 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.
5-2 schedule: questions parents ask
Is 5-2 the same as every other weekend?
No. In 5-2 the second parent has every weekend. In every-other-weekend they have alternate weekends only, which is closer to 80/20.
How can we make 5-2 fairer on weekends?
Give the weekday parent one weekend in three or four, or add a midweek dinner for the weekend parent. Write whichever you choose into the plan.
Is 5-2 good for toddlers?
Five nights apart is long for a toddler. If one parent has to carry the weekdays, add a midweek visit or overnight for the other parent.
How is child support affected?
Most states count overnights. A 5-2 schedule gives one parent about 70 percent of overnights, which usually produces a higher support figure than 50/50.
What should the plan say?
State the weekly pattern, define the weekend precisely, and write in any rotating weekend or midweek visit so it is not left to goodwill.
Other 70/30 schedules
- 70/30: Patterns giving one parent about ten nights in fourteen: 5-2, or every other weekend plus a weekly midweek overnight.
Related guides
- The 2-3-2 Custody Schedule: How It Works (With Calendar Examples)
- What Is the Best Visitation Schedule? Every Option Compared by Age, Distance and Work
- Custody Schedules for Toddlers and Infants: What Works Under 3 (With Calendars)
- Recommended Custody Schedules for 12 Common Situations (With Calendars)
- The 4-4-3 Custody Schedule: How the 4+4+3 Rotation Works (With Calendar)
- The 3-3-4-4 Custody Schedule: How It Works, Calendar Examples, Pros & Cons