Deciding on a good visitation schedule isn’t always easy. As a parent, you want to be with your child all the time. Thinking about having to share your time with your child may feel unfair.
The reality of your situation is that you need to split up your time, and you need to do so in the best possible way for your child. If you and your ex-spouse can’t agree on the visitation schedule, the court will do so for you. It’s in your best interests to work it out for yourselves.
What kinds of visitation schedules are there?
Sometimes, it’s easier to start with a standard schedule and make adjustments. One common schedule is an alternating weeks schedule. This means that one parent has the child for seven days, then the other. It gives each parent equal time with the child over the course of a year.
Another option would be to split the time into two-week periods. This works well in summer months if you live an hour or two apart, or you might opt to do this during the school year if you live close together.
For people who have 80/20 schedules, there are some good alternatives to having one or two sporadic visitation days per week. Consider having alternating weekends for one parent or having visitation time every first, third and fifth weekend.
You may also wish to create a separate summer break or holiday schedule to adjust to your child’s schooling needs. Your attorneys can help you come up with an arrangement that works for you and suits your child.
Source: Custody X Change, “Custody and Visitation Schedules: 22 Common Examples,” accessed March 13, 2018
