Mississippi Parenting Time Schedules (Visitation)
A parenting time schedule is a written or visual representation of time parents will spend with their child.
A schedule is one part of your parenting plan.
If you agree on a schedule, the court will approve as long as it is in the child's best interest. If you can't agree, the judge will choose your schedule.
Choosing your schedule
Your schedule will impact how well your child copes with your separation. Consider the following when choosing a schedule:
- Your child's age and any special needs
- Your child's school and extracurricular schedules
- Parents' work schedules
- Visits with grandparents and other relatives
Some parents plan for their schedule to change as their child gets older. For example, a step-up parenting plan (also called graduated visitation) gives the noncustodial parent more time gradually. It can help ease the child into spending time with a parent they haven't seen as much.
If it's unsafe for the child to be alone with the noncustodial parent, the court can order a third party to supervise visits.
Mississippi doesn't have a standard visitation schedule but does provide this suggested visitation arrangement.
Popular schedules
When there's joint physical custody, both parents spend significant time with their child. This time isn't always split 50/50.
For example, the 4-3 schedule splits parenting time 60/40. One parent gets four days of the week, and the other gets three.
If you want a more even parenting time split, try the alternating weeks schedule. The child switches between households once every week.
For sole physical custody, noncustodial parents in Mississippi receive little parenting time compared to parents in other states. Weekend schedules are most common. Weekends generally begin Fridays at 5 p.m. and end Sundays at 5 p.m.
The alternating weekends schedule gives the noncustodial parent every other weekend.
Or you can give the noncustodial parent the 1st, 3rd and 5th weekend of every month. If there isn't a fifth weekend, the parent will just have the first and third weekends.
You may include midweek visits so your child can visit the noncustodial parent on a weekday when they won't see them the following weekend.
School breaks and holidays
Many parents choose to follow a different schedule during school breaks, which typically align with holidays.
For longer breaks, you can give the first half to one parent and the second half to the other.
Or you may give the noncustodial parent the entirety of the break to give them extra time with the children.
Alternating holidays yearly is a common choice.
Consult your child's school calendar when deciding how to split up school breaks. Some Mississippi schools have shorter summer breaks and more frequent, longer breaks throughout the school year.
Adding a school break schedule is easy with Custody X Change. When choosing a template, check the box for a "summer break schedule." The schedule you pick will override your regular schedule for the period you enter.
Vacations
Although it's easiest to align vacations with school breaks, you may want to allow vacations with the child at other times of the year. You can give a certain amount of vacation time to each parent to use during the year.
Include rules for vacations in your parenting plan, such as how much notice a parent must give before taking one.
The easiest way to make a schedule
If you're like most parents, creating a custody and visitation schedule will feel daunting. How do you write something that meets legal requirements and doesn't leave any loose ends?
The Custody X Change app makes it easy. Either customize a schedule template, or click and drag in your custody calendar to make a schedule from scratch.
Then watch a full description appear in your custom parenting plan.
The combination of a visual and written schedule means your family will have no problem knowing who has the child when. Take advantage of Custody X Change to make your schedule as clear and thorough as can be.