First, Third and Fifth Weekends: Visitation Schedule Examples
The first-third-and-fifth-weekends schedule offers an 80/20 parenting timesplit. Your child mostly lives with one parent, then spends the first, third and fifth weekends of a month with the other parent. In months with only four weekends, the child spends just the first and third weekends with the parent.
You can customize this with Custody X Change.
Examples of the first-third-and-fifth-weekends schedules
You can modify your first-third-and-fifth-weekends schedule so it works better for you and your child. Here are some example schedules.
Change the exchange times
Choose any exchange time that suits your availability. Here is a schedule where the exchange times are Friday morning and Sunday evening.
You can customize this with Custody X Change.
Make one weekend longer
Weekends can stop and start whenever you choose. In this example, the first weekend visit is longer because it starts on Thursday.
You can customize this with Custody X Change.
Add midweek visits
You can add midweek visits as often as you like. This schedule includes a Thursday visit to the dad on the weeks when he doesn't have the weekend.
You can customize this with Custody X Change.
Add overnight visits
Adding overnight visits is another option. This schedule gives Dad an overnight on Wednesday when he doesn't have the following weekend.
You can customize this with Custody X Change.
Use third-party time
Here is a schedule that shows third-party time — when the child is not with either parent. Including third-party time may change the parenting timeshare percentages, usually making them more even.
You can customize this with Custody X Change.
Calculate your time
Use a visitation timeshare calculator to track each parent's parenting time. A calculator helps you keep the timeshare you want as you customize your schedule.
Pros and cons of a first-third-and-fifth-weekends schedule
Pros:
- The schedule is easy to remember.
- It works if you and the other parent live far away from each other.
- It works well if one parent travels frequently.
- There are very few exchanges, so it can work for a high-conflict situation.
Cons:
- Your child will have long periods without seeing one parent.
- One parent has substantially more time with the child, which can cause conflict over the schedule.
- The weekend parent doesn't get to participate in the child's weekday routine.
- The weekend parent may not know what's going on with the child's school or other activities.
- It may conflict with the child's weekend activities.
Other co-parenting schedules to consider
Second-fourth-and-fifth weekends schedule: If you'd like to give different weekends to the other parent, this schedule could work.
Every-third-weekend schedule: If you'd prefer fewer weekend visits, this schedule gives a parent the weekend every three weeks. (This is not always the third weekend of the month.)
Alternating-weekends schedule: This is very similar to the first-third-and-fifth-weekends schedule, but the noncustodial parent never gets two weekends in a row (except for holidays or other occasions).
The easiest way to make a first-third-and-fifth-weekends schedule
There's a lot to think about when you build a parenting time schedule. You'll want it to address holidays and school breaks, give the right amount of time to each parent, and work for years to come.
The Custody X Change app makes it easy. Just follow the steps to make a custody schedule.
On Step 2, select the "same weekends each month" button.
And on Step 3, use the dropdown boxes as follows:
- Monthly weekend options: Use the menu to set which parent gets the weekend visits.
- 5th weekend alternating: Decide how to handle fifth weekends in a month, which occur a handful of times a year. If the weekend parent will get them all, select "not alternating." If parents will trade off, select one of the other options.
- From: Enter the day and time for weekend visits to begin.
- To: Enter the day and time for weekend visits to end.
- Weekend's month determined by: Choose how to count weekends. For example, if you select "Thursday," a month with five Thursdays will count as having five weekends.
You can customize this with Custody X Change.
To make a custody schedule quickly and affordably, turn to Custody X Change. You'll get a written schedule and a visual calendar that meet your family's needs, as well as court standards.