Sample Parenting Plans - Physical Custody

Physical custody refers to where a child will live and who will be responsible for their day-to-day care following a divorce or separation. This aspect of a parenting plan determines the child’s primary residence and how much time they will spend with each parent. Physical custody arrangements can vary, from one parent having sole physical custody to joint custody where the child splits time between both parents’ homes. On this page, you’ll find essential information and sample parenting plans to help you navigate physical custody arrangements, ensuring a stable and supportive environment for your child.

*Sampleparentingplans.com is not a substitution for legal advice. These are provided as examples only. Please consult your attorney for advice regarding your particular situation.

50-50 custody – Week On/Week Off

A 50-50 custody arrangement with a week-on, week-off schedule is a type of joint physical custody where the child spends an equal amount of time living with each parent. In this arrangement, the child lives with one parent for a full week and then transitions to the other parent for the next week, continuing this pattern regularly. This schedule allows both parents to have significant, uninterrupted time with their child, fostering strong relationships with both. Often 50-50 week on/week off schedules have holiday schedules that allow the child to spend the holiday with whichever parent normally has the child that week. Exchange days may vary depending on each family’s individual needs. In a 50-50 schedule with week on/week off, children typically do not take belongings back and forth, but rather, each parent ensures that the child has what they need at that parent’s home. While a 50/50 schedule is becoming more commonplace, it does not work for every family and every situation.

50-50 with a 2-2-3 Schedule

A 50-50 custody arrangement with a 2-2-3 schedule is a joint physical custody plan where the child spends two days with one parent, two days with the other, and then three days with the first parent, alternating each week. This would look like:

Parent A: Monday, Tuesday

Parent B: Wednesday, Thursday

Parent A: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Parent B: Monday, Tuesday

Parent A: Wednesday, Thursday

Parent B: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

And then repeat

This schedule allows each parent to have a full weekend with the child to provide for travel and activities. This schedule ensures that the child has frequent contact with both parents throughout the week, promoting a balanced relationship. The 2-2-3 schedule is often used for younger children who may need more frequent transitions between homes to maintain close bonds with both parents.

50-50 with a 2-2-5

A 50-50 custody arrangement with a 2-2-5 schedule is a joint physical custody plan where the child spends two days with one parent, two days with the other, and then five days with the first parent, alternating the following week. This would look like:

Parent A: Always has Monday, Tuesday

Parent B: Always has Wednesday, Thursday

Parents do Friday, Saturday, Sunday alternating weeks.

This can work well for kids who have extracurricular activities on a particular night and one parent has accepted responsibility for transportation. It also provides the every other weekend structure as in the 2-2-3.

Every Other Weekend

Every other weekend visitation is a common custody arrangement where the non-custodial parent has the child every other weekend. This schedule allows the child to spend extended, quality time with the non-custodial parent while maintaining a stable routine during the school week with the custodial parent. It’s a practical solution for parents who live further apart or have demanding work schedules. While Friday-Sunday is a typical schedule, it is possible to get creative here. If there are concerns about what is happening at the other parent’s house, there is nothing that says that Every Other Weekend has to be Fri-Sun. Some parents have had success with a Sat-Mon schedule as it helps others outside the family (like school or daycare) document the behaviors that the children have while at that parent’s home. Some parents also have schedules that provide for one night only, which could be Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. If extracurricular activities are a concern, consider an agreement where the exchange happens after the sporting event or activity

Every Other Weekend with Dinners

Every other weekend with dinners is very similar to the Every Other Weekend schedule detailed above. However, it includes a mid-week dinner that happens every week. Often this is on Wednesday but could be any night. One thing to consider if you have a high conflict divorce or there is a history of abuse, children need time in between visits to ground themselves in reality that is not dictated or informed by the disordered parent. In these situations, consider an Every Other Weekend schedule without the mid-week dinner.

Sole Physical Custody

Sole physical custody is a custody arrangement where the child primarily lives with one parent, who is responsible for their daily care and supervision. The other parent may have visitation rights but does not share in the day-to-day living arrangements. This setup provides stability and consistency, especially in cases where joint custody isn’t feasible.

Flexible Schedule

A flexible visitation schedule with one parent as the primary custodian allows the child to live mainly with one parent while accommodating the other parent’s availability for visits. Often language in the agreement will state something about not unreasonably withholding consent. While flexibility can work in some situations, it may be a good idea to consider some parameters around the scheduling. For example, a coparenting agreement with a flexible schedule may want to state that the request must be made with a week’s notice (or 48 hours). It may also state that the parent can request up to a specified number of hours or for a specific number of overnights. It may also explicitly state that the visits should be daytime only and not include overnights. Some flexible schedules allow for one overnight per month scheduled by the non-custodial parent scheduled 7 days in advance.

Supervised Visitation

Supervised visitation is a custody arrangement where a non-custodial parent’s time with their child is monitored by a third party, often due to safety concerns or court orders. These visits typically occur in a neutral location, such as a visitation center, or in the presence of a trusted family member or professional supervisor. Supervised visitation ensures the child’s safety and well-being while allowing the parent to maintain a relationship with their child. This arrangement is usually temporary, with the goal of transitioning to unsupervised visits once the court deems it appropriate and safe.

Sample Parenting Plans – Physical Custody