Every Other Weekend Custody Schedule
One parent has primary custody. The other parent takes every other weekend, typically Friday after school through Sunday evening.
by The CoreParent Co-Founders · Last updated
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
Parent A
Parent B
Week 1 (top) · Week 2 (bottom)
How it works
The primary parent has the children during the school week. Every other weekend the children go to the secondary parent from Friday (after school or work) through Sunday evening. Many families add a weekday dinner or overnight during the off-week to bring the split closer to 70/30.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Stable school-week routine with one primary home
- Minimal disruption to school and activities
- Common default in court orders when parents live apart
Cons
- Heavily weighted toward the primary parent — roughly 80/20
- Secondary parent can feel like a 'weekend visitor' rather than a co-parent
- Does not meet most modern courts' 'frequent and continuing contact' preference
Best for
When parents live too far apart for frequent exchanges, or when one parent's work schedule prevents weekday custody.