Parenting Time and Residential Schedules in Montana

A residential schedule shows when a child will be with each of their divorced or separated parents. It's one part of your parenting plan. You and the other parent can agree on a schedule, or you each can suggest your own for the judge to consider.

Things to consider when choosing a schedule

Consider the following:

• Distance between parents' homes
• Parents' work schedules
• Your child's age and needs
• Your child's school and activities schedule
• Whether grandparents or anyone else will have regular visits
• Whether supervised visitation is needed

Residential schedule options

The court will generally approve any schedule parents agree to. It just needs to be in the child's best interests, so avoid anything unreasonable, like 2 a.m. exchange times.

When a judge chooses your schedule, your location could impact the schedule you get. Judges in eastern Montana are often more conservative and might lean toward giving mothers more time than fathers. Meanwhile, counties in the west, like Ravalli County, lean toward 50/50 parenting. Regardless, judges across Montana aim to give kids "frequent and continuing contact" with both parents due to state law.

Choosing a schedule based on your child's age is a good starting point. You can make adjustments to any of the following.

Infants

Research shows babies do well with a primary caregiver (especially if they're breastfed). For example, a study in the Journal of Marriage and Family found only 16% of infants who spent most nights with their mom felt insecure with her, whereas 43% of infants felt insecure with her if they spent at least a night a week at their dad's house.

However, babies also need to spend time with the other parent so they can become attached to them as well.

Most commonly, one parent has the majority of time, and the other has several short visits each week.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

As the baby gets older, visits can get longer. They might eventually be ready for a weekly overnight at the other parent's home.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

Young children

Toddlers, preschoolers and children early in their school years need to spend significant time with both parents.

If you're dividing time equally, the 2-2-3 schedule is an ideal schedule since it allows frequent contact every week.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

If you want a different time split, the 4-3 schedule is a 60/40 schedule that places the child in one parent's home for four days of the week and the other parent's home for three days.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

Older children

Teenagers can spend longer periods away from their parents. You need to account for their school, extracurriculars and social lives.

If you're dividing time equally, the alternating weeks schedule is a popular option as it lets the child stay in one place longer.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

If you want a different time split, consider the alternating weekends schedule (an 80/20 division).

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

Holidays and school breaks

Parents commonly alternate holidays every year. For instance, one parent has New Year's Day with the child this year, and the other parent gets it next year.

When it's time for a long school break, some parents continue following their regular schedules. Others switch to a different schedule, allowing longer stretches of parenting time.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

The easiest way to make a schedule

If you're like most parents, creating a residential 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.

Try this with Custody X Change.

Then watch a full description appear in your custom parenting plan.

Try this with Custody X Change.

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.