As the parent of a minor child, addressing the question of child custody can be one of the most difficult parts of going through a divorce. There are many possible custody arrangements, and choosing the option that works for you and your kids may seem overwhelming at first.
Let’s take a look at a few of the most typical child custody schedules by age as well as some of the factors to consider, so you can make a more informed decision.
Key takeaways
- Age-Based Scheduling: Infants need frequent, short visits; toddlers thrive on stability with some overnights; school-aged kids can manage longer separations; teens need flexibility for social and extracurricular activities.
- Common Custody Ratios: Popular arrangements include 50/50, 60/40, 70/30, and 80/20, each with its own rhythm and time split.
- Multiple Factors Matter: Consider your child’s personality, developmental needs, school schedule, distance between homes, your relationship with the other parent, and safety concerns.
- Professional Help Recommended: A family lawyer can guide you through legal requirements, calculate child support, present evidence, and ensure your arrangement supports your child’s best interests.
What are some typical custody arrangements?
Child custody schedules generally fall into a few common patterns. Each one splits parenting time differently, and the best choice depends on your child’s needs, your schedules, and your ability to coordinate with the other parent. Here are the four most common ratios, with simple examples:
- 50/50 Custody: Parenting time is split evenly. A common example is a 2-2-5-5 schedule, where each parent alternates two days and then five days with the child.
- 60/40 Custody: One parent has the child about 60% of the time, often with weekdays spent with one parent and long weekends with the other.
- 70/30 Custody: Usually, one parent has the child during the week, while the other has most weekends.
- 80/20 Custody: One parent is the primary caregiver, and the other sees the child on alternating weekends or specific set days each month.
From here, custody schedules often adapt to a child’s age and stage of development, so let’s look at what works best at different ages.e highlighted relevant insights and provided a few examples of child custody schedules by age group.
Custody schedules for infants
It’s common for new babies to live primarily with one parent and have daytime visits with the other, so as not to disrupt their sleep or feeding schedules, especially if the infant is breastfeeding. It’s also recommended to keep daytime visits at the same time of day.
As your infant grows older and becomes more adaptable to the change, you can begin to introduce occasional overnights when you feel they’re ready and if a judge ultimately approves this. If possible, it’s also a smart idea to have a way for both parents to communicate about their infant’s development.
Options for infants:
| Custody Plan | Custody Schedule | Special Considerations |
| 2-2-3 schedule | Two days with Parent A, two days with Parent B, three days with Parent A | May not work well for breastfeeding infants |
| Alternating every 2 days | The child switches every two days | Same concern as above |
| 5-2 schedule | Five days with one parent, two days with the other | Add frequent daytime visits with the second parent |
| Every 3rd day schedule | The child spends every third day with the non-residential parent | Works best when parents live close by |
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Get startedCustody schedules for toddlers
The primary concern with toddlers is to make sure that they feel safe, secure and cared for as their emotional experiences become ever more complex. At this age, children become more perceptive of and sensitive to tension and conflict, so it’s recommended to make arrangements in a way that limits fighting in front of your toddler.
Perhaps most importantly, toddlers have a tendency for strong attachments to caregivers and loved ones, so the custody schedule should design exchanges and visiting times to reduce the potential for separation anxiety. Additionally, schedule changes shouldn’t be so drastic that the child loses the benefit of a consistent routine, which is also important at this age as they develop new skills and explore their worlds.
Around 18 months to 2 years old, you can introduce phone and video calls with the absent parent, and keep pictures of both parents in the child’s personal space to support their sense of connection.
While they’re more emotionally sensitive than infants, toddlers are also more adaptable and can usually better handle overnight visits.
Options for toddlers:
| Custody Plan | Custody Schedule | Special Considerations |
| 2-2-3 schedule | Two days with Parent A, two days with Parent B, three days with Parent A | Supports frequent contact with both parents |
| Alternating every 2 days | The child switches every two days | Requires close coordination |
| 5-2 schedule | Five days with one parent, two with the other | Include midweek visits with the second parent |
| Every 3rd day schedule | Child spends every third day with non-residential parent | Works well if parents live nearby |
| 4-3 or 3-4-4-3 schedule | Alternates three- and four-day blocks | Helps maintain a consistent weekly routine |
| Every weekend schedule | Weekdays with one parent, weekends with the other | Best if weekday stability is important |
Custody schedules for kids
Between the ages of 5 and 12, a child becomes much more adaptive, independent and involved in the world around them. They have more of a social life and are engaged in many school and community activities. From here on out, your co-parenting plan may need to be more flexible to accommodate three (or more) busy schedules and get your child where they need to be each day of the week.
Children at this age are much more tolerant of longer separations from either parent and have their own sense of time and routine. They’re able to handle an inconsistent schedule that involves even daily exchanges and, depending on their age and maturity, may start sharing their schedule preferences with you.
Your child should be encouraged to engage in many different activities and explore the world and community around them. So it’s important that your custody schedule allows plenty of time for these activities to be possible.
If you and your former spouse live far from each other, you may want to encourage your child to stay connected with their other parent through frequent audio or video calls.
Options for school-aged children:
| Custody Plan | Custody Schedule | Special Considerations |
| Alternating weekends | Weekdays with one parent, alternating weekends with the other | Add a midweek evening visit for balance |
| Alternating weeks | One week with each parent | Works best if parents live near each other’s schools |
| Every weekend schedule | Weekdays with one parent, every weekend with the other | Keeps weekday routine consistent |
| 2-2-3 schedule | Two days with Parent A, two with Parent B, three with Parent A | Good for equal time while keeping variety |
| Every 3rd week schedule | Two weeks with one parent, one week with the other | Requires strong communication between parents |
Custody schedules for teens
From around age 13, a child starts transforming into more of a young adult. Although family and the home remain foundational as a base of support, and parents should nurture and provide oversight where they can, your teenager will spend a lot more time out of the home.
At this age, social relationships with friends and peers become much more important, schedules become busier and teens likely have clear preferences about their custody arrangements. Your co-parenting plan should make time for both parents to be involved in your teenager’s life but also accommodate the complexities of your teen’s schedule and their wishes, when possible and appropriate.
Be aware that their schedule is likely to conflict with parenting time. Try to be flexible with your plans and stay involved by attending their activities when you can.
Your teenager is likely more independent at this stage, but this doesn’t mean good communication with your co-parent is less necessary than before. It’s important that you and your co-parent are aligned about setting boundaries with your child and how to respond consistently if those boundaries are crossed.
It’s also still important not to burden your child with tension or conflict from the divorce, even if they’re better able to understand the challenges of a co-parenting situation.
You, your co-parent and/or the judge will decide on the schedule that works best in your case.
Options for teenagers
| Custody Plan | Custody Schedule | Special Considerations |
| Alternating weeks | One week with each parent | Gives teens predictable blocks of time |
| Alternating weekends | Weekdays with one parent, alternating weekends with the other | Can include a midweek visit |
| Every weekend schedule | Weekdays with one parent, every weekend with the other | Works for teens who want a stable school week |
| 5-2 schedule | Five days with one parent, two days with the other | Offers some flexibility for activities |
| 2 weeks each schedule | Two weeks with each parent | Best if both homes are in the same school district |
| Every 3rd-week schedule | Two weeks with one parent, one with the other | Works for older teens who travel between homes less often |
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Get startedHow should you agree on a custody arrangement?
Negotiating your child custody schedule can be a challenging part of divorce, but the ease and smoothness of that process is largely in your hands.
A good way to ensure your custody arrangements are decided with everyone’s best interests in mind is to create your plans in relation to all the factors of your child’s current life. While each case has different factors, here are several of the most important ones to consider:
Factors to consider:
- Age, temperament, and adaptability: Match schedules to your child’s stage of life, personality, and comfort with change. Younger kids need more frequent contact, while older children can handle longer separations.
- Special needs or health requirements: Ensure ongoing access to medical care, therapies, and support services.
- Daily and school routines: Keep school, homework, extracurricular activities, and rest consistent.
- Distance between homes: Consider travel times for exchanges, school, and activities.
- Relationship between parents: More frequent exchanges require strong communication. If tensions run high, opt for a simpler schedule.
- Sibling and family connections: If siblings live apart, schedule regular time together.
- Child’s preferences: Depending on maturity and court guidance, older children and teens may have input.
- Safety concerns: If there’s a history of abuse, supervised visitation or court restrictions may be necessary.
How a lawyer can help
An experienced family law attorney can be a key ally when creating an age-appropriate custody plan. They know how state laws work, what judges look for, and how to determine a child’s developmental needs. A lawyer can guide you through the process, whether drafting a fair custody proposal, coordinating with mediators or child specialists, or presenting your case in court.
They can also help in more complex situations, such as relocation requests, special needs cases, or safety concerns. Throughout it all, your attorney’s role is to protect your rights while working toward a custody arrangement that truly serves your child’s best interests.
