The 5-2-2-5 custody schedule

Each parent keeps the same two weekdays every week and weekends alternate. The most popular 50/50 for school-age children.

50/50

time split (50% / 50%)

7 / 7

overnights per 14 nights

exchanges per 14 nights

5-2-2-5 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	B	B	B	B	B

A = Parent AB = Parent BEach cell is one overnight. The pattern repeats every two weeks.

See 5-2-2-5 on your dates Build a 12-month 5-2-2-5 calendar

Full guide: The 5-2-2-5 Custody Schedule: A Complete Guide With Examples

Which ages the 5-2-2-5 schedule suits

School-age children and teens who want predictable weekdays and parents who want few exchanges.

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 5-2-2-5

Works well

Fixed weekdays make school, activities and homework easy to plan
Four exchanges per fortnight, all at school if you want
Alternating long weekends

Watch out for

Five nights apart is too long for very young children
The parent with Monday and Tuesday never has a midweek evening with the children in their weekend-off week

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 every Monday and Tuesday overnight and Parent B every Wednesday and Thursday overnight. The parents shall alternate weekends, defined as Friday after school until Monday morning, beginning with Parent A on the first Friday after the date of this agreement.

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

Write the 5-2-2-5 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.

5-2-2-5 schedule: questions parents ask

Is 5-2-2-5 a 50/50 schedule?

Yes. Each parent has seven overnights per fourteen days.

Why is 5-2-2-5 so popular for school-age children?

Because each parent has the same two weekdays every week, so the child always knows where they sleep on a Tuesday. It also keeps exchanges at school, which removes contact between parents.

How do holidays fit around 5-2-2-5?

The holiday schedule overrides the regular rotation. The plan should say whether the regular schedule resumes where it left off or restarts after each holiday block.

What if one parent cannot do midweek overnights?

Then 5-2-2-5 is the wrong pattern. Week-on week-off or a 60/40 pattern such as 4-3 may fit better.

How should 5-2-2-5 be written in a parenting plan?

Name each parent's fixed weekdays, define the weekend period precisely, state which parent has the first weekend from a named date, and add exchange times and locations.

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.
3-4-4-3: Three nights, then four, then the reverse. Even time with a rotating weekend and only four exchanges a fortnight.
3-3-4-4: Fixed three-night blocks for each parent, then the four-night weekend block alternates.