Parenting time defines the frequency and duration a parents spends with a child in the context of a divorce or child custody case. Regular parenting time provisions exclude holidays and school breaks and generall consists of a bi-weekly schedule. In certain circumstances, such as when a parent has an irregular work schedule or lives far away, a custody parenting time schedule is necessary. However, most parenting time provisions begin with alternating weekends.
Sample parenting time provisions
Alternating weekend schedule.
(Sunday overnight is optional)
Equal Parenting Time. 2-2-5-5
With 2-2-5-5, one parent exercises parenting time Monday and Tuesday overnight and the other parent exercises parenting time every Wednesday and Thursday overnight. 2-2-5-5 represents the overnight frequency. In the example below, Dad is awarded 2 overnights (Monday and Tuesday), Mom is awarded 2 overnights, (Wednesday and Thursday) then Dad is awarded 5 overnights (Friday through Wednesday monring) then Mom is awarded 5 overnights (Wednesday through Monday morning), thus the name, 2-2-5-5.
Equal Parenting Time 2-2-3
With a 2-2-3 parenting time schedule, the parents alternate Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday overnight. In this example, for Week 1 Dad is awarded Monday and Tuesday overnight and Mom is awarded Wednesday and Thursday overnight. Week 2 is reveresed. This parenting time provision ensures no more than 3 overnights are spent away from the other parent and is typically suited for younger children.
Other parenting time provisions
Most parenting time orders include a holiday / school break schedule and summer parentime schedule. Other common parenting time provisions include:
- Transportation provisions (e.g. the locatation and who picks up and drops off), such as: “The parent beginning his/her parenting time is responsible for picking up the children to begin his/her parenting time.”
- Restrictions on introducing a paramour (boyfriend / girlfriend) until the case is concluded;
- Supervision (if the facts and circumstances require);
- The requirement for timeliness;
- Participation in extra-curricular activities;
- The day of the overnight is the responsibility of the parent with the overnight;
- The parent with parenting time is responsible for ensuring that the children’s school assignments are completed and turned in when due;
- During her/his parenting time, that parent will be “on call” for any unexpected matters, such as a child being ill and unable to attend school. The parent will be responsible for ensuring transportation of the children to and from school, extracurricular activities, employment, tutoring, counselling, medical appointments and the like;
- Failure of a parent to substantially comply with this parenting time award will be a basis for seeking modification of parenting time; and
- A Hague convention provision which prohibits a child from visiting a Country that is not a signtatory on the Hague convention on the civil aspects of International Child Abduction;
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By: Daniel Findling (c) 2024.
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