Custody schedules, side by side
The same 50/50 split can feel very different depending on how the nights fall. Here is how the common patterns compare on the numbers parents ask about, worked out from each rotation.
| Pattern | Nights per 2 weeks | Handoffs per 2 weeks | Longest stretch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week on, week off | 7 / 7 | 2 | 7 nights |
| 2-2-3 | 7 / 7 | 6 | 3 nights |
| 5-2-2-5 | 7 / 7 | 4 | 5 nights |
| 3-4-4-3 | 7 / 7 | 4 | 4 nights |
| 4-3 (roughly 60/40) | 8 / 6 | 4 | 4 / 3 nights |
| Every other weekend | 12 / 2 | 2 | 12 / 2 nights |
| Every other weekend plus a midweek night | 10 / 4 | 6 | 6 / 2 nights |
2-2-3
Two nights, two nights, three nights, then the same with the parents swapped.
5-2-2-5
Each parent keeps the same two weeknights every week, and weekends alternate. Also called 2-2-5-5.
Week on, week off
Seven nights with one parent, then seven with the other.
3-4-4-3
Three nights, then four. The next week it flips, so each parent gets seven in fourteen.
Every other weekend
One home during the week; the other parent has Friday and Saturday nights every second weekend.
Something else? Build a custom rotation of up to 28 nights.