Has a South Carolina court ordered you to establish a child custody plan? If so, options abound and parents who are willing to work together can often create a plan that meets everyone’s needs.
Alternating weeks
The most traditional child custody plan is the alternating weeks model. This schedule works best if both parents live in the same school district and the children are shuffling between two homes.
3-4-4-3
The 3-4-4-3 schedule works well for children who are emotionally close to both parents and want to see each one every week. How does it work? One week, the kids spend four days with one parent and three days with the other. The following week, the parent who had three days the previous week gets four days and vice versa. The 3-4-4-3 plan is ideal in custody situations where the kids stay put and the parents come and go.
Every extended weekend
The every-extended-weekend schedule is favored among families where only one parent works during the week and the other has time to do school and activity management. Under these routines, kids stay with one parent during the week and head to the other for the weekend.
Seasonal and holiday child custody schedules
Not all child custody plans are 50-50 splits. In situations where one parent works or travels significantly more than the other, large blocks may work better — and the potential variations are endless. Sometimes a child will spend the school year with one parent and summers with another. Other times the kids will swap holidays annually. These types of schedules can work well for parents living in different states or countries.
Child custody schedules can be modified in myriad ways. Just make sure it works for everyone involved, especially the kids. And if you’re struggling to develop an equitable custody plan, a family law attorney may be able to get you and your family on track.