The 80/20 custody schedule

The traditional pattern: one parent has the children most of the time; the other has alternate weekends, often with a midweek dinner.

80/20

time split (79% / 21%)

11 / 3

overnights per 14 nights

2

exchanges per 14 nights

80/20 on a two-week calendar

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Week 1AAAABBB
Week 2AAAAAAA
A = Parent AB = Parent BEach cell is one overnight. The pattern repeats every two weeks.

Full guide: Every Other Weekend: How the Standard Visitation Schedule Works

Which ages the 80/20 schedule suits

Long-distance parents, parents with work patterns that rule out weeknights, and situations where a court has ordered standard visitation.

  • 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 80/20

Works well

  • Maximum stability in one home
  • Few exchanges
  • Easy for courts and schools to administer

Watch out for

  • The non-primary parent has about three nights in fourteen
  • Children can lose a day-to-day relationship with one parent
  • The primary parent carries almost all the work and gets few breaks

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:

The children shall reside primarily with Parent A. Parent B shall have the children on alternate weekends from Friday after school until Sunday at 6 pm, for dinner every Wednesday from after school until 7.30 pm, and for extended periods during school breaks as set out in the holiday schedule.

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

Write the 80/20 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.

80/20 schedule: questions parents ask

What is an 80/20 custody schedule?

Every other weekend with one parent, with the children living primarily with the other. Three overnights in fourteen is about 21 percent, so it is called 80/20.

Is 80/20 still what courts order?

It remains the default in several states' standard orders but most courts now expect more equal time where both parents are capable and available.

How can the weekend parent get more time?

Longer summer and holiday blocks, extending weekends to Monday morning, and a midweek overnight are the usual additions.

Is 80/20 bad for children?

The research concern is the loss of an everyday relationship with one parent, not the schedule itself. Regular midweek contact and long holiday blocks reduce that.

What should the plan say?

Define the weekend, name the starting weekend, add the midweek visit, and set out the holiday and summer schedule in detail.

Other 80/20 schedules

  • Every other weekend: One parent has the children in the week and alternate weekends; the other has every other weekend. About 80/20.

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