menu

3-4-4-3 Custody and Visitation Schedule Examples

The 3-4-4-3 schedule is a 50/50 residential schedule that has your child stay with one parent for 3 days of the week, then the other parent for 4 days. The next week it switches, so the first parent has the child for 4 days and the other parent has him or her for 3.

Here's how the 3-4-4-3 schedule looks in the calendar.

Depending on what day you choose to start the schedule, you may actually end up with a 4-3-3-4 schedule, a 4-3-4-3 schedule, a 3-4-3-4 schedule, a 4-4-3-3 schedule or a 3-3-4-4 schedule. These are all variations on the same two-week repeating schedule.

Visualize your schedule. Get a written parenting plan. Calculate your parenting time.

Make My Schedule and Plan Now

3-4-4-3 schedule examples

The 3-4-4-3 schedule is fairly straightforward, but you can make some changes so it works for you. Here are some different examples of the 3-4-4-3 schedule.

Change the start day

Here the exchanges are on Wednesday and Sunday, then Wednesday and Saturday. The exchange times are different. If Wednesday is the start day, you have a 4-3-3-4 schedule. If Saturday is the start day, you have a 4-4-3-3 schedule.

Split the weekend time

Here is another schedule that splits the weekend time between the parents. The exchanges are on Tuesday and Saturday, then Tuesday and Friday.

Use 3rd-party time

You may want to mark 3rd party time when the child isn't with either parent. Here is a schedule that shows when the child is at school. Because the school time changes the parenting timeshare, Mom has been given more time on the second Saturday to make the parenting time 50/50.

Calculate your time

Using a parenting timeshare calculator while you make your schedule allows you to see the exact percentage of time that each parent has with the child. This lets you make sure that each parent still has 50% of the time with the child as you customize your schedule.

Pros and cons of the 3-4-4-3 schedule

Pros:

  • Parents have the same nights each week, except for one night that switches.
  • Children are able to spend significant time with both parents each week.
  • There are minimal exchanges.
  • Parents have equal time with the children.
  • Each parent has the opportunity help with daily caretaking.
  • The children don't go very long without seeing either parent.
  • This schedule can work very well for parents with different work schedules.

Cons:

  • One parent may have the children every weekend.
  • Because there is a midweek exchange, parents must have good communication about the children's schoolwork and activities.
  • Parents must be able to communicate about the children and the schedule.
  • The children must be able to adapt to living in two different houses during the week.
  • The parents must live fairly close together and close to the children's school.

The easiest way to make a 3-4-4-3 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. In Step 2, select the "3-4-4-3" button.

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.

Visualize your schedule. Get a written parenting plan. Calculate your parenting time.

Make My Schedule and Plan Now

Explore examples of common schedules

Explore common schedules

Most popular articles

Examples:

Schedules

Long distance schedules

Third party schedules

Holidays

Summer break

Parenting provisions

Scheduling:

How to make a schedule

Factors to consider

Parenting plans:

Making a parenting plan

Changing your plan

Interstate, long distance

Temporary plans

Guides by location:

Parenting plans

Scheduling guidelines

Child support calculators

Age guidelines:

Birth to 18 months

18 months to 3 years

3 to 5 years

5 to 13 years

13 to 18 years

Terminology:

Joint physical custody

Sole physical custody

Joint legal custody

Sole legal custody

Product features:

Software overview

Printable calendars

Parenting plan templates

Journal what happens

Expense sharing

Parenting time tracking

Calculate time & overnights

Ways to use:

Succeed by negotiating

Prepare for mediation

Get ready for court

Join the 60,000+ other parents who have used our co-parenting tools

Organize your evidence

Track your expenses, journal what happens, and record actual time. Print organized, professional documents.

Co-parent civilly

Our parent-to-parent messaging system, which detects hostile language, lets you collaborate without the drama.

Get an accurate child support order

Child support is based on parenting time or overnights in most jurisdictions. Calculate time instead of estimating.

Succeed by negotiating

Explore options together with visual calendars and detailed parenting plans. Present alternatives and reach agreement.

Never forget an exchange or activity

Get push notifications and email reminders, sync with other calendar apps and share with the other parent.

Save up to $50,000 by avoiding court

Write your parenting agreement without lawyers. Our templates walk you through each step.

Make My Schedule & Plan
x

Bring calm to co-parenting. Agree on a schedule and plan. Be prepared with everything documented.

Make My Schedule and Plan Now

No thanks, I don't need a parenting plan