What It Means
A 2-2-3 custody scheduleCustody scheduleThe calendar in a parenting plan that says which days and nights a child spends with each parent, including handovers, holidays and school breaks. See more is a two-week rotation for parents sharing time equally. In the first week the child is with Parent A on Monday and Tuesday, Parent B on Wednesday and Thursday, and Parent A from Friday through Sunday; in the second week the parents swap. Each parent has the child for two days one week and five the next, so each ends up with 7 of every 14 nights.
Try It: See Two Weeks of a 2-2-3 Schedule
A is one parent and B the other. Switch versions and watch week 2 change.
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | A | B | B | A | A | A |
| 2 | BA | BA | AB | AB | B | B | B |
How Parents Say It
- "We do 2-2-3, so I get them Wednesday and Thursday this week."
- "Is this my long weekend or yours?"
- "The little one does better with the 2-2-3."
The Breakdown
Worked example. Parent A and Parent B start the rotation on a Monday.
| Week | Parent A | Parent B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat, Sun (5 days) | Wed, Thu (2 days) |
| 2 | Wed, Thu (2 days) | Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat, Sun (5 days) |
| Two-week total | 7 nights, 50% | 7 nights, 50% |
The child moves on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of both weeks, so there are 6 handovers every 14 days, and neither parent goes more than 3 days without the child.
The fixed-weekday version. Family court handouts in Monterey and Fresno counties describe a version where one parent keeps Monday and Tuesday every week, the other keeps Wednesday and Thursday, and weekends alternate. The split is still 7 nights each, with 4 handovers every 14 days, and the longest stretch apart grows to 5 days. Ask which version a plan means before you sign it, since both get called 2-2-3.
What the result means. Short stretches keep a child in regular contact with both parents, and the cost is more moving between homes. For that reason families weigh the child's age, school runs and the drive between homes when they choose.
Good to Know
Custody is state law and differs by state. Courts decide by the child's best interests under each state's own law, so read your state court's self-help pages or talk to a family law attorney before agreeing to a schedule. A 2-2-3 rotation puts a handover on most school days, so the plan should say who does each pickup and where.
FAQ
Is a 2-2-3 schedule 50/50?
Yes, on overnights. Over each 14-day cycle each parent has the child for 7 nights, two days one week and five the next.
How is 2-2-3 different from week on, week off?
Both split time evenly. A 2-2-3 rotation has 6 handovers every two weeks and no more than 3 days apart from either parent, while week on, week off has 2 handovers and 7-day stretches.
Who decides whether 2-2-3 fits our family?
Parents can agree on it, and a court approves or sets a schedule based on the child's best interests under state law. Your county's family court services office or a family law attorney can explain your state's process.
Do It in Buhata
Calendar and Pickup and Drop-off
Enter the two-week rotation on the Calendar in a Household Space in Buhata, and log each Monday, Wednesday and Friday handover in Pickup and Drop-off (Household X add-on).
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Custody schedule
The calendar in a parenting plan that says which days and nights a child spends with each parent, including handovers, holidays and school breaks.
- Week-on week-off schedule
An equal-time custody schedule in which a child lives with one parent for a full week, then the other, switching on the same day each week.
- Co-parenting
Two parents who live apart sharing the job of raising their child, working together on rules, schedules and decisions across both homes.
- Parenting plan
The written arrangement, usually made into a court order, that says how separated parents share decisions and time with their children.
- Parallel parenting
A way for separated parents in high conflict to both stay involved while keeping direct contact to a minimum and running each home by its own rules.
Sources
Superior Court of California, County of Monterey, "Considering an Equal Parenting Plan Arrangement?"; Superior Court of California, County of Fresno, Family Court Services, balanced visitation schedules handout; California Courts Self Help Guide, "Child custody and parenting time"; American Bar Association, "The Many Looks of Physical Custody: A Parenting Plan for Every Situation"
- www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/system/files/general/considering-equal-time-parenting-plan.pdf
- www.fresno.courts.ca.gov/system/files?file=pfc-02-balanced-visitation-schedules.pdf
- selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/child-custody
- www.americanbar.org/groups/family_law/resources/family-advocate/archive/many-looks-physical-custody-parenting-plan-every-situation
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