The 5 2 2 5 Parenting Plan – Is It Right For You?

Shared custody doesn’t have to be hard, traumatic, or unsettling for your children. Or for yourself! But one of the keys to making this transition as smooth as possible is choosing the right custody schedule for your family… And for some people, this is the 5 2 2 5 parenting plan.

What is the 5 2 2 5 parenting schedule?

This parenting schedule is one of the more popular amongst family units with school-aged children, and it goes as follows…

• Parent number one will always have the children for Mondays and Tuesdays; plus Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays every other week.
• While parent number two will always have the kids on Wednesdays and Thursdays; plus Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays every other week.

This results in the children being with one parent for five days, then going to be with their other parent for two days, before going back to parent number one for two days, and then back to parent number two for five days. Hence the very apt name of this schedule…

Signs the 5 2 2 5 parenting plan is right for your family…

Now, this schedule obviously won’t work for everyone! But here are some signs that it might be a good fit for you, your co-parent, and your kids…

• You live close to your co-parent, and both of you live near your children’s schools. Because this means that constant back and forth won’t require as much travelling. And your kids can get to school no matter which parent’s place they’re staying at.
• You get along well with your co-parent. Since this 50/50 custody style is probably best suited for co-parents who get along, as it requires slightly more coordination, communication, and overall contact than other schedules.
• You have young kids. As young children typically require more consistent time with each of their parents in order to feel secure and form healthy attachments.
• You and your co-parent have consistent work schedules… Because if you don’t, it’ll be hard to provide your kids with the stability that they require to make this parenting plan work.

Variations of the 5 2 2 5 parenting schedule…

It’s also important to note that the 5 2 2 5 parenting plan is actually one of a few different formats that follow a similar pattern. So if you’re interested in the idea behind the schedule, but you don’t think it’s right for you… These variations could provide a middle ground.

The 2 5 5 2 Parenting Plan –

Parent number one has the children for Monday and Tuesday, then hands them off to parent number two for Wednesday through to the next Monday. Next, parent number one has them for the week. And parent number two gets them for that weekend. Before the cycle repeats.

This schedule is great for when one co-parent works on weekends, or needs to be free during this time. As it only allows for one parent to have the kids on the weekends.

The 5 5 2 2 Parenting Plan –

This custody schedule has less to do with specific days, and relies instead on blocks of time. Five days for one parent, then five days for the next, then two days for parent number one, and two days for parent number two.

This schedule allows parents to choose which days they want to start on initially. But this does result in slightly less stability, and it requires more planning ahead. Unless parents choose to specifically start off the two weeks with Wednesdays or Fridays, that way they alternate long weekends with each other.

The 2 2 5 5 Parenting Plan –

This schedule is the same as the last one, except in reverse. And parents who want to alternate long weekends with each other whilst using this schedule, will need to start on a Monday.

Tips for making the 5 2 2 5 parenting plan work for you…

At the core of it, the 5 2 2 5 parenting schedule is simply a 50/50 split. And that can be a tougher, yet sometimes more rewarding, custody schedule than more traditional ones. So here are some tips to help you pull it off…

• Never vent to your children about their other parent, and never force them to take sides. As this will do nothing but harm your kids in the long run. Instead, take any concerns straight to your co-parent if need be. And otherwise, seek emotional support from your adult friends and family.
• Form a routine. Kids thrive when they feel secure and know what to expect. So regardless of your custody schedule, try to have routines set up for when they’re with you.
• Don’t be negative when it’s time to drop them off. You don’t want to make your children feel guilty or sad to leave you. So even if your emotions are high when it’s your co-parents turn with the kids, try to make it a positive experience for them.
• Stay on the same page with your co-parent. Even though you and your co-parent are no longer together, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be a team where your kids are concerned! It’s still important to run important parenting decisions by each other, and work together to create the best possible environment for your kiddos.

Final Thoughts

The 5 2 2 5 parenting plan won’t be right for everyone, but for some family units it can be a life saver! So I hope you found this post helpful, whether or not you felt like this could be the schedule for you.

And if you’d like to read more about parenting, running a home, managing finances, or staying healthy… Please check out some of my other content. Such as my most recent post, which was all about gentle sleep training methods.