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How to Decide on a 60/40 Custody Schedule

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Deciding on which 60/40 custody schedule is best for your family is a MAJOR decision. Your family will be living according to this schedule for the foreseeable future, so you definitely want to make the right decision!

I’ve created the most robust review of various 60/40 custody schedules you’ll find anywhere on the web. I’ve included many of the popular options, but I’ve also created some schedules myself based on my knowledge of blended families and what helps them thrive.

To make it even easier for you to choose the right 60/40 custody schedule for you, I’ve included photos of what the schedule would look like and ranked each schedule based on 5 key factors to consider before making the leap!

Custody Schedule
How to Decide on a 60/40 Custody Schedule

Factors to Consider When Choosing a 60/40 Custody Schedule

Ratings are from 1-5, with 1 being the lowest (least optimal) and 5 being the best (most optimal) rating.

Schedule Consistency

Is it important to you that you consistently have your stepchildren on the same days each week? Or the same weeks each month? Families with children that participate in extracurricular activities with practice or games on a certain day of the week will want to ensure the 60/40 schedule they choose ranks high for schedule consistency.

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges

Co-parents with a contentious relationship will desire a 60/40 custody schedule with fewer custody exchanges and minimal communication.

Schedules with fewer hand-offs or with custody exchanges that occur at school, with one parent dropping off before school and the other picking up after school, will be ranked higher for this factor.

Even if your co-parenting relationship isn’t high-conflict, you may still consider a schedule with fewer interactions.

Routine Conducive Schedule

It can be difficult helping your stepchildren transition to your home, adjusting to the norms and routines of your house. Custody schedules that rank high for being routine conducive have longer stretches of time with each parent.

I personally don’t love custody schedules with 1-2 day custody visits because it’s difficult to get into a solid routine each time.

Time Away in 60/40 split

For many co-parents, a top factor to consider when choosing a 60/40 custody schedule is, “How long will I have to go without seeing my children?”. Schedules with longer stretches away from at least one parent will score lower in this category.

Quality of Time Spent Together

I used this metric to help you decide if the quality of time each parent would be getting under this schedule is good, or if it leaves something to be desired. If you’re spending all of your time getting used to the norms and rules of your home, then it’s not true quality time, which matters most to some co-parents.

I’ve also factored in weekend vs. weekday here. Schedules with less balance or less quality time will score lower on this factor.

2-3-4-5 Custody

Schedule Consistency: 5

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges: 2

Routine Conducive: 4

Time Away: 4

Quality of Time Spent Together: 5

Technically speaking, this is a 57/43 split, but it’s a GREAT custody schedule that allows for consistency and dependability, balance of weekdays and weekends, and time to adjust to routines before transitioning.

The one big downside is that this schedule will require Saturday morning custody exchanges, which isn’t ideal for high-conflict co-parents. If you don’t mind doing exchanges outside of school, then by all means, implement this 60/40 custody schedule!

2 Weekdays + 1 Long Weekend in 60/40 split

Schedule Consistency: 4

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges: 4

Routine Conducive: 4

Time Away: 4

Quality of Time Spent Together: 4

If you’re looking for more of a true 60/40 custody schedule, then this schedule has the proportions you’re looking for! I love that this schedule has the reliability of a 2-day weekday period every single week (either Monday/Tuesday or Wednesday/Thursday) and once per month, it allows for that long weekend with the big 5 day stretch!

There’s minimal communication, especially if you can get your weekend decided in the custody agreement (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) and pick-up/drop-off can happen at school!

Long Weekends in a 60/40 split

Schedule Consistency: 5

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges: 3

Routine Conducive: 4

Time Away: 4

Quality of Time Spent Together: 4

The reliability of this schedule is a dream, and you never go more than 3-4 days without seeing your children.

I especially love this schedule for co-parents where one parent works outside of the home Monday through Friday; this gives them a ton of quality time on the weekends when that parent is off work.

For school-aged children, this schedule does mean that one parent is more in touch with what’s going on at school, homework, etc. Make sure you’re okay with that dynamic before agreeing to this 60/40 custody schedule.

Expanded Standard Custody Schedule

Schedule Consistency: 5

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges: 4

Routine Conducive: 3

Time Away: 2

Quality of Time Spent Together: 4

This is the Texas expanded standard visitation schedule; you”ll see your child every Thursday and every other (or every 1st, 3rd, and 5th) weekend Friday through Sunday. I love the consistent weekday touchpoint with the extra quality time on weekends.

I don’t love that every other week, you’re having a 1-day visit It can be SO difficult getting into a good grove and helping the child adjust to the norms and culture of your home in only one day.

4-3 Custody Schedule

Schedule Consistency: 5

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges: 5

Routine Conducive: 4

Time Away: 4

Quality of Time Spent Together: 4

This is another 57/43 custody split, and you can change around which 3 days work best for the parent with slightly less custody. It’s probably nto ideal for the parent with slightly more custody to never have a weekend with their child, so find the assignment of days that works best for you!

School Year/Summer Split Schedule

Schedule Consistency: 5

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges: 5

Routine Conducive: 5

Time Away: 1

Quality of Time Spent Together: 5

While a school year/summer (& extended school holidays) split is more of a 70/30 custody schedule when you look at the calendar, the parent with the summer visitation is getting the child’s time off school, so there are actually more hours in those days to bond and enjoy their company than on a typical school day, which makes it feel much more like a 60/40 custody schedule. If the two parents live further away or one parent has summers off, this is a really great option!

3-2 Schedule

Schedule Consistency: 1

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges: 2

Routine Conducive: 2

Time Away: 5

Quality of Time Spent Together: 4

This is a true 60/40 split, but it might feel like a lot of back-and-forth for older kids with activities and school. 3 days are spent with the parent who has 60% custody, and then the next 2 days are spent with the parent who has 40% custody, then start again! There’s very little (arguably none) consistency with this schedule, but if you’re looking for a clear 60/40 custody split, this is the easiest way to ensure fairness.

If you like that you’d only be going 2-3 days without seeing your child and are open to a 50/50 split instead, you may consider a 2-2-3 custody schedule, a 50/50 custody schedule I highly recommend for younger kids.

6-4 Schedule

Schedule Consistency: 1

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges: 5

Routine Conducive: 5

Time Away: 2

Quality of Time Spent Together: 4

If you like the direct split of the 3-2 but want less frequent exchanges, then the 6-4 schedule is for you! We’re still looking at less schedule consistency so you’re unlikely to know if you can RSVP to that birthday invitation without checking the calendar first, but you’re guaranteed to see your little one every week for an extended period of time.

8-6 Schedule

Schedule Consistency: 4

Minimal Communication/Custody Exchanges: 5

Routine Conducive: 5

Time Away: 2

Quality of Time Spent Together: 5

An 8-6 arrangement is truly a 57/43 split, so I think it’s close enough to a 60/40 custody schedule to include it! I absolutely love the consistency, dependability, and long stretches of quality time this schedule provides. It’s essentially a week on-week off schedule, but the parent with 60% custody always has the child on one day per week and the other 6 swap each week.

This is ideal for older kids with extracurricular activities and more involved schoolwork.

Need help narrowing it down?

As you can tell, there are seemingly endless ways to create a 60/40 custody schedule that will work for you and your blended family! There’s not really a “wrong answer” or “ideal schedule” because what works for one family may not work for others. Ultimately, the best schedule is the one that works best for YOU!

If you need help identifying which factors should matter more to you or creating a customized custody schedule that would work best for your family, click the button below and apply for stepmom support coaching and get support and advice from someone who gets it!

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P.S. Keeping track of the custody schedule can be a pain! Considering using one of these co-parenting apps to stay on top of it!

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