Third-Party Time in Your Visitation Schedule

Third-party time is when your child isn't with either parent. This can be when your child is in day care or school, when they're with other relatives or even when they're sleeping.

Marking third-party time on your custody calendar shows you how much time each parent really spends with the child. This can help you create a schedule that makes both parents happy.

Using third-party time in your schedule

Here are some examples of how you might show third-party time in your schedule.

If you calculate parenting time by number of hours, third-party time changes each parent's percentage. Use a timeshare calculator to see how your percentages shift.

If you count by number of overnight visits, the total is usually not affected by third-party time. This is because most courts that count by nights require every night to be credited to a parent, not a third party.

Example: Every-extended-weekend schedule

This every-extended-weekend schedule gives one parent 60% of the hours with the child and the other parent 40%.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

If you mark when the child is in day care, the parenting time changes so each parent has roughly 50% of the time with the child.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

If you instead mark when the child is sleeping, you can see that one parent has nearly 70% of the child's waking hours, and the other parent has closer to 30%.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

Example: Every-weekend schedule

This every-weekend schedule gives one parent 70% of the time and the other parent 30%.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

When you mark the time when the child is in school, the timeshare changes so one parent has 65% and the other has 35%.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

If you also mark the child's sleeping time, the parenting time changes again to 60/40.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

Example: 4-3 schedule

This 4-3 schedule gives one parent 60% of the time with the child and the other parent 40%.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

Marking the child's daily nap changes the percentages to 58% and 42%.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

Adding three grandparent visits instead brings the parenting timesplit closer to equal: 55/45.

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

Negotiating a schedule with third-party time

Accounting for third-party time when you calculate parenting time can make it easier to agree on a schedule.

Marking third-party time shows the quality time each parent gets with the child, so it can encourage parents to consider options they would otherwise write off.

For example, a schedule with a 60/40 parenting time divide may come closer to 50/50 if you mark third-party time. A 70/30 divide may come closer to 60/40.

Some courts require all of a child's time to be credited to one parent or the other, so they don't use third-party time. Even in this case, a calendar that shows third-party time can be useful for giving parents a clear picture of their timeshare.

The easiest way to make a third-party-time schedule

There's a lot to think about when you build a parenting time schedule. Don't forget to include any time your child spends away from both parents.

The Custody X Change app makes this easy. Mark repeating third-party time when you create your custody schedule. After, you can add in occasional third-party time by editing your schedule.

In either approach, when you see the drop-down menu titled "parent," choose "3rd party."

Then the period will not count toward your parenting time calculations. (The only exception is that when you tally overnight visits, nights with a third party count for the parent who had the child immediately prior. This is because courts generally require every overnight to be credited to a parent.)

You can customize this with Custody X Change.

To make a third-party 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.