With this in mind, there is no single “right” way to manage parenting time after a divorce. To the contrary, there are numerous potential solutions, and divorcing parents must focus on finding a solution that meets their specific needs. This is true not only with regard to their weekly or monthly schedule, but with regard to various other aspects of post-divorce parenting as well.

Sample Weekly and Monthly Parenting Time Schedules

To illustrate the breadth of the options that are available, we’ll take a look at some sample weekly and monthly parenting time schedules. If you are preparing to go through a divorce with children, one or more of these options may or may not work for you. Once you hire a divorce lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will be able to help you consider all of your options, and your lawyer will be able to help you make informed decisions based on your personal and family circumstances.

Equal Parenting Time Each Week

One option is for the parents to share equal parenting time each week. For this to work, the parents will typically need to live fairly close together after their divorce, as there will be a good amount of transportation involved. Ensuring that their children will have consistent access to school, extracurricular activities, and friends will be important as well.

When splitting parenting time equally each week, parents can either maintain a consistent weekly schedule, or they can maintain a schedule based on the number of consecutive days that their children will spend with each of them. Two examples possible schedules include:

• Split Weeks – The children live with one parent Sunday through Wednesday morning, and they live with the other parent from Wednesday afternoon through Saturday.
• 2–2-3 Alternating – The children live with one parent for two consecutive days, live with the other parent for two consecutive days, and then return to the first parent’s home for three consecutive days on a rotating basis.

Each of these schedules (among the many other options that are available) could be more or less suitable based on an individual family’s circumstances. Again, the key is to find the solution that makes the most sense for your family’s needs and your children’s best interests.

Alternating Weeks

Instead of splitting each week, divorcing parents who decide to share equal parenting time also have the option of alternating weeks. Here too, for this option to work, the parents will typically need to live fairly close together in order to minimize the disruptions to their children’s lives as much as possible.

Weekdays vs. Weekends

When divorcing parents settle on unequal parenting time, their options open up even more. One possible approach is for one parent to have their children during the week and for the other parent to have their children on the weekends.

Every Other Weekend

Another possible approach is for the children to spend the majority of their time at one parent’s home and visit the other parent’s home every other weekend. This every-other-weekend schedule is commonly used when parents agree to unequal parenting rights.

One Week or Weekend Per Month

Spending one week or weekend per month at the non-custodial parent’s home is an option as well. This option can help provide maximum stability for the couple’s children—though it is important to keep in mind that this is not the only factor that requires consideration. This option can be particularly well-suited to cases in which the parents will not live close to one another after their divorce.

Again, these are just examples. There are many other ways that divorcing parents can divide their post-divorce parenting time as well. Additionally, for parents who are interested in continuing to jointly play a role in their children’s lives after their divorce, co-parenting and bird’s nest custody (or “nesting”) may be options as well.

Additional Considerations for Developing a Parenting Plan During Your Divorce

When developing a post-divorce parenting plan, it is important to keep in mind that developing your regular weekly or monthly schedule is just one aspect of the process. There are a variety of additional considerations as well, including:

• Phone calls and virtual visitation during non-custodial periods
• Making special arrangements for holidays and birthdays
• Planning spring, summer, and winter vacations
• Travel within each parent’s normal parenting time
• Unexpected work duties and other conflicts with scheduled parenting time
• Medical emergencies
• Curfews, screen time, driving, and other similar types of issues

All of these are issues that parents can (and generally should) address during the divorce process. When planning to parent after your divorce, you want as much certainty as possible. You do not want to encounter issues that can lead to contentious disagreements, especially when you could have addressed these issues amicably during your divorce.

Again, it is important to emphasize that there is no “right” way to manage parenting time after a divorce. What works for someone else might not work for you, and what works for you might not work for someone else. The key is to make informed decisions based on your specific circumstances—and you will want to work closely with your divorce lawyer to ensure that your post-divorce parenting plan is as clear and comprehensive as possible.

Discuss Your Options with Stroudsburg, PA Divorce Lawyer Gary J. Saylor, II

Would you like to know more about the options that are available for managing parenting time after a divorce in Pennsylvania? If so, we invite you to get in touch. To discuss your options with experienced Stroudsburg, PA divorce lawyer Gary J. Saylor, II in confidence, call us at 570-421-5567 or request a free initial consultation online today.