Ohio law requires that you send a proposed schedule to the court when you request shared physical child custody. The court reviews your parenting arrangement to either accept or reject it based on whether it’s in the best interest of your child. If neither you nor your spouse submits a schedule, then the court will make one for you.
3-3-4-4 rotation
On a 3-3-4-4 rotation, your child stays with parent A for three days, parent B for three days, parent A for four days, parent B for four days, and repeats. A 3-3-4-4 rotation schedule keeps your child consistently at one parent’s house for three days of the week and at the other parent’s house another three days of the week. The remaining day of the week alternates between the two parents. Many people who choose this joint custody schedule like starting the schedule on Sundays so that Saturdays are the alternating day.
2-2-3 rotation
A 2-2-3 rotation schedule is suitable for young children because they can’t go for long without seeing one of their parents. It would be stressful on them to stay with each parent a full seven days at a time. On a 2-2-3 rotation child custody schedule, your child stays with parent A for two days, parent B for two days, parent A for three days, parent B for two days, etc. The downside of this schedule is your child doesn’t consistently stay with you on certain days of the week. You’ll probably have to check your calendar often to know which parent your child is staying with and for how long.
2-2-5-5 rotation
If you were to start the 2-2-5-5 rotation schedule on Sunday, your child would stay with parent A every Sunday and Monday and with parent B every Tuesday and Wednesday. For Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, they would alternate weeks. You can write it color-coded on a calendar to easily view where your child resides.
If certain days of the week work better for one parent to spend time with their child, then a rotating schedule is a good choice. When all days of the week are suitable, you may prefer an alternating weekly schedule.
