What Are Some Common Parenting Plan Options?

Navigating the end of a marriage brings countless challenges, but perhaps none feels more overwhelming than determining how to share time with your children. The weight of this decision can feel crushing—you’re not just creating a schedule, you’re shaping your child’s future and your relationship with them for years to come. A parenting plan serves as the roadmap for how divorced or separated parents will share custody and make decisions about their children’s lives. This legally binding document outlines everything from where children will spend holidays to who makes medical decisions. Van Den Heuvel Law Office can guide you through your parenting plan options in Michigan, which may include: 

• Alternating Weeks Schedule: Children spend one week with each parent, offering consistency and extended time with both.
• 2-2-5-5 Custody Schedule: Children spend two days with one parent, two with the other, then five days with each alternately, balancing time and providing a predictable routine.
• Every Extended Weekend: One parent has weekday custody; the other has children for an extended weekend (e.g., Friday to Monday).
• Every Other Weekend: One parent has primary weekday custody; the other has children every second weekend, for regular but limited involvement.
• Alternating Weekends: Parents alternate weekends with the children, allowing each parent weekend time while maintaining a primary weekday home.

Understanding the Most Common Parenting Plan Arrangements

Alternating Weeks Schedule

The alternating weeks schedule represents one of the most straightforward approaches to shared custody. Children spend one complete week with one parent, then switch to the other parent for the following week. This arrangement provides consistency and allows both parents substantial, uninterrupted time with their children.

This schedule works particularly well for school-age children who can handle longer separations from each parent. The extended time periods allow for meaningful bonding and the establishment of routines in each household. However, younger children may struggle with week-long separations, and the schedule requires both parents to be fully available during their designated weeks.

2-2-5-5 Custody Schedule

The 2-2-5-5 arrangement offers more frequent transitions while maintaining equal time. Children spend two days with one parent, then two days with the other, followed by five days with the first parent, and five days with the second parent. This pattern repeats on a two-week cycle.

This schedule benefits children who need more frequent contact with both parents but still provides extended periods for deeper connection. The arrangement requires excellent communication between parents and can be more complex to track, but many families find it strikes the right balance between consistency and contact.

Every Extended Weekend (60/40)

This arrangement designates one parent as the primary caretaker during the school week, while the other parent has the children from Thursday evening through Monday morning. The result is approximately a 60/40 time split.

The extended weekend schedule works well when parents live in different school districts or when one parent’s work schedule makes weekday care challenging. It provides the non-primary parent with meaningful chunks of time while maintaining stability during the school week.

Every Other Weekend Plus One Evening Per Week (70/30)

Under this common arrangement, one parent has the children every other weekend and one evening per week, typically for dinner and homework help. This creates roughly a 70/30 time split.

This schedule often works when one parent has been the primary caretaker or when work schedules make equal time sharing impractical. The midweek visit helps maintain the parent-child bond between weekend visits while providing structure during the school week.

Alternating Weekends (80/20)

The most traditional arrangement involves children staying primarily with one parent while visiting the other parent every other weekend. This creates an 80/20 time split.

While less common in today’s shared custody landscape, this arrangement may be appropriate when one parent travels frequently for work, lives far from the children’s school, or when other circumstances make more frequent exchanges impractical.

Find the Right Fit for Your Family’s Future

Creating a parenting plan that truly serves your family requires an honest assessment of your unique circumstances. Consider your children’s ages, personalities and existing routines. Evaluate each parent’s work schedule, living situation and proximity to schools and activities. Most importantly, remember that what works for other families may not work for yours.

The emotional toll of custody decisions can cloud judgment, making it difficult to focus on practical considerations. Working with an experienced family law attorney ensures your parenting plan protects your rights while prioritizing your children’s best interests. At Van Den Heuvel Law Office, we recognize the complexities of custody arrangements and fight tenaciously for solutions that protect your parental relationship while serving your children’s needs. Contact us today for a consultation.