Joint Custody can more problematic if the parties can not agree on a decision e.g. whether to enrol the children in a French Immersion program. If the event of a deadlock the agreement or order should include a dispute resolution mechanism such as mediation. The second aspect of custody is physical custody. This aspect deals with the time that each parent will spend with the child - the schedule. There are many, many different physical custody regimes in place across Ontario.
Some parties find that an equal time share is appropriate.
For example, week on week off , four days with the mother, three days with the father, three days with the mother, four days with the father etc. There is a great deal of variance in this area and there are many schedules which can be discussed and implemented to fit the needs of the parties and the children. Consideration must also be given to special dates and holidays such as Christmas, Religious Holidays, New Years, Thanksgiving, parent s birthdays, children s birthdays, Father s day, Mother s Day etc. In addition, it is crucial for both parents to view the schedule as a somewhat flexible template. No schedule can be drafted that will completely take into account future contingencies.