What is a 2-2-3 Custody Schedule?

Co-parenting isn’t always easy. But having a schedule in place that works for everyone can help ensure your child gets to spend quality time with each parent — and conflict between co-parents is minimized. It can also give your child a predictable routine and establish guidelines that will prevent future parenting time disputes. A 2-2-3 custody schedule allows each parent to have two consecutive days with the child, followed by a three day block with the first parent in the rotation. The arrangement then reverses the next week, resulting in an equal split of parenting time.

How Does a 2-2-3 Custody Schedule Work?

With a 2-2-3 custody schedule, the child lives with one parent for two days of the week, followed by the next two days with the other parent. Then they return to the first parent for three days. The schedule reverses after the three day block and starts again with the second parent. For example, the mother would have two days (Monday and Tuesday), followed by the father having the next two days (Wednesday and Thursday). The mother would then have the three day weekend block (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). The schedule reverses for the following week — and the father would then have the weekend with the child.

Parents can begin the 2-2-3 custody schedule on any day of the week and at any time that works for them. For instance, the custody schedule can begin before or after school. While an advantage of this parenting time arrangement is that it allows for both parents to have two long weekend blocks each month, it can be tailored to allow each parent to have a three day block on different days of the week as well.

Who is a 2-2-3 Custody Schedule Best For?

There are many benefits to using the 2-2-3 custody schedule in your parenting plan. It permits a child to see both parents regularly and build strong bonds with each of them. It also offers a significant amount of flexibility while allowing both parents to have quality weekend time with the child each month.

2-2-3 rotations work well in the following situations:

• Children are young — Since this schedule allows for frequent contact with both parents, it works well for children who are very young and may have a difficult time with longer separations. The frequent and alternating short visits with each parent can help reduce a child’s separation anxiety and create a sense of stability.
• Parents are highly involved — The frequent transitions involved with the 2-2-3 rotation require strong communication between the parents. They must also be highly organized to manage school, extracurricular activities, and transportation between each household, since they switch days of the week from week to week.
• Parents live in close proximity to each other — To ensure smooth transitions between homes, this schedule works best when parents live near each other.
• Parents are amicable — While this schedule involves frequent contact between parents, it works best when they are amicable and can communicate effectively.

Although there are many advantages, the 2-2-3 custody schedule isn’t right for every situation. Since there are multiple exchanges each week, it may not work well if parents live a distance away from each other or either one has an unpredictable work schedule. It may also be difficult for children who struggle to adapt or need more consistency. The schedule is not ideal for older children as the frequent transitions may disrupt their school routine and make it harder to maintain friendships.

What Are Some Other Options for Custody Schedules?

If the 2-2-3 custody schedule isn’t the right fit for your family, there are a number of other parenting time arrangements that may be considered. The 3-4-4-3 and the 2-2-5-5 custody schedules also allow for alternating time each week, but provide for slightly longer stretches of time. However, if your children are older, alternating weeks (one week on, one week off) might be in their best interest to minimize the disruptions that frequent transitions can cause during the week.

When determining what rotation works best for your child, it’s essential to consider their physical, educational, and emotional needs. While the child’s sense of stability and overall wellbeing should be considered first and foremost, it’s also important to take your ability to cooperate with your co-parent into account. Because there are so many transitions during the week with a 2-2-3 rotation, parents should be able to work together to coordinate who will handle pick ups and drop offs, after school activities, and school events. Without effective communication, organization, and the ability to resolve issues quickly, this parenting time arrangement can quickly become stressful.

Notably, a child custody schedule does not need to be determined in court. Co-parents can work together to create their own parenting time arrangements without seeking judicial intervention. Negotiation, mediation, and the collaborative process are all forms of alternative dispute resolution that can help parents remain in control of their custody matter and find creative solutions that might not be available in the courtroom. These methods can also be used to change a custody agreement that is already in place and no longer working. Once an agreement has been reached, it can be submitted to the court to become a legally binding order that must be followed by both parents.

Contact an Experienced Maryland Family Law Attorney

If you are facing a dispute concerning parenting time or child custody, it’s critical to have a skillful family law attorney who can advise you regarding your rights and options. At Strickler, Platnik & Hatfield, we assist our clients with creating customized custody schedules and work diligently to ensure the best interests of their children are met. To learn more about how we can help, contact Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield to schedule a consultation.