The child custody software Custody X Change has just released a new feature that allows parents to include 3rd party time in their visitation schedules. Many parents make their visitation schedule so that it only shows the time that the child has with mom and dad. However, with the business of the modern world, it is unlikely that the child is only spending time with the parents. Many children spend time in day care, at school, with other relatives, etc. Including the 3rd party time can help you make a visitation schedule that works.
Now, it’s important to find out the specific laws in your state about the visitation schedule. Many states will only accept schedules that show the time each parent has, and they want the timeshare percentage that each parent has. Of course you can still make a schedule that shows the 3rd party time for your own planning purposes, but be aware that the court may not accept the timeshare percentage for the 3rd party (this means that the child support usually won’t be influenced by 3rd party time).
For practical purposes, it makes sense for parents to have a copy of a calendar that shows where their child is at all times. This is why you may want to make a schedule that shows when the child is with someone other than the parents. This can help you figure out transportation to school, day care, etc. because you have the times all laid out before you and you can see what parent has the child in between the 3rd party time. It can also help you decide about making changes to the schedule and figuring out the best times for visitation. Planning for these details are what makes visitation schedules that work.