Recent changes to Florida law have made it easier for fathers to get shared custody and 50/50 time-sharing schedules with their children. In fact, there is a presumption under the law that shared custody and 50/50 timesharing is in the best interests of the children. When the court makes child custody decisions, it does so using the metric of the child’s best interests. That means that all decisions made in terms of child custody are made in the best interests of the child. So knowing what options are available to you when it comes to 50/50 time-sharing is crucial to your family law case since the courts favor this arrangement above others. In this article, the family law attorneys at Westchase Law, P.A. will discuss 50/50 time-sharing options for parents.
Alternating weeks
Among the most common 50/50 time-sharing arrangements is one in which the parents alternate weeks. In other words, the children spend one week with one parent and the next week with the other parent. Pick-ups and drop-offs are typically scheduled on Friday afternoons, after school, and before the weekend.
Bi-weekly alternating weeks
Another popular arrangement is two weeks on and then two weeks off. Such an arrangement doubles the amount of uninterrupted time the parent has to spend with their children. The children spend two weeks with one parent, and then the next two weeks with the other parent on an alternating basis. Pick-ups and drop-offs are generally scheduled for Friday afternoons.
The 3-4-4-3 schedule
This time-sharing arrangement splits up the week. The children will spend three days with one parent and then the next four days with the other parent. The following week, the children would spend four days with the parent who they only spent three days with, and so on. In other words, the parents would alternate taking the children for 4 days bi-weekly. This option is generally employed by parents who have young children and may be worried that they won’t see both of their parents each week.
The 2-2-5-5 schedule
This time-sharing schedule requires each parent to spend two days with their children, followed by a period of five days. Similar to the 3-4-4-3 schedule, this is a good option for parents with younger children. Each parent gets to see the children at some point during the week. This is also a good option for parents who live close to one another. Because there are more drop-offs and pick-ups, it would be difficult to manage for parents who lived far apart.
The 2-2-3 schedule
This schedule would have the parents alternate two days on and then two days off. Then, the parent would get the next three days with the first parent. The next week, the schedule reverses. This schedule allows the child to see the parent multiple times during the week.
Talk to a Tampa, FL Child Custody Attorney Today
Westchase Law, P.A. represents the interests of Tampa residents going through a divorce. Call our Tampa family lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your goals right away.