You may hear divorced parents talking about which weekends or days of the week he or she has with a child. In cases of joint custody or where a mother or father has visitation rights but no legal custody, these arrangements fulfill the child’s best interests while accommodating a reasonable schedule for working adults. Common plan structures may include:
Every other week. Those facing or already going through a divorce who share legal custody may take the child or children for a week at a time, alternating with the other parent.
2-2-3 schedules. One parent takes Monday and Tuesday, the other takes Wednesday and Thursday, and the first has Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This arrangement may remain fixed or change from week to week.
In cases where one parent has sole custody, this arrangement may include weekend overnight visits and some non-overnight visits during the week.
Parents typically split Holidays evenly throughout the year.
Parents can determine their own visitation plans, negotiate through mediation, or present cases in court for a decision. In addition to days, the plan may also outline pick-up and drop-off times and other visitation requirements. The courts will not generally approve of separate visitation plans for siblings.