When it comes to how divorces are managed, a lot has changed in the last several years. Looking back as recently as 30 years ago, it was assumed that Mom always got custody, and Dad would have them once a week for dinner and every other weekend. In the last two decades, there has been a notable shift, with both parents wanting to share equal time with their children. This has led to the arrival of the 50/50 custody split. Though this type of child custody arrangement sounds good on paper, once you start to put it into action it can present some challenges.

The biggest challenge of a 50/50 custody is two parents that are still in conflict with one another. The only way that a 50/50 split of your child’s time will work is if you and your ex are able to communicate with each other effectively and work collaboratively in your child’s best interest. If that feels impossible, then you need to take a close look at whether you’re seeking the 50/50 custody share for your own sake for the sake of your child. Sometimes it is better to sacrifice a little time now in order to preserve your long-term relationship.

If you can work with your ex-spouse, the next challenge is in devising a custody schedule that gives each of you 50 percent of the time with your child without being disruptive of either your life or your child’s life. There are a few different options that have been found to work. These include:

• Every weekend with school time removed – This essentially makes one parent responsible for weekdays and the other parent responsible for weekends. It is the least disruptive of the child’s school schedule but poses challenges in that one parent is always the one overseeing school work and extracurricular activities, and the other always gets the child’s free time.
• The 2-2-3 schedule – One parent gets the first two days of the week, the child switches to the other parent for the second two days of the week, then the child switches back to the first parent’s home and stays for the weekend. The custody then switches for the following week. This gives equal time and equal weekend time, but it can be hard on the child to go back and forth so many times.
• Every other week schedule – This gives the child a rest in terms of going back and forth between homes but means that a full week goes by between visits. This can be addressed by having a single dinner night on the parent’s off week.

Every situation is different, and there is a custody schedule that will work for you. Contact us today for help with child custody and other divorce concerns.