Joint physical custody works best when divorced parents live near each other. The fewer trips between two homes, the better. One parent realized early on that you never want to take the child from the other parent. Better to have the child dropped off than risk interrupting or curtailing a special moment between your child and former spouse. Although this schedule doesn't split time equally, some experts recommend this arrangement for school-aged kids.
Some parents try to equalize the time during school vacations.
Expect changes during adolescence. Even when joint custody works well with younger children, teenagers often rebel against these arrangements as their priority shifts from spending time with parents to hanging out with friends. If an adolescent s desire to take control of his or her own schedule conflicts with the custody schedule, parents should try to be flexible.