Week-On, Week-Off Custody Schedule
One full week with each parent, the fewest exchanges of any equal schedule.
Also written as alternating weeks schedule, week on week off schedule, 7-7 custody schedule.
- Overnight split
- 50/50
- Cycle length
- 14 days
- Exchanges
- 2 per cycle
- Longest gap
- 7 nights
about 52 a year
without the children
See Week on / week off on a calendar
Change the start date, swap which parent begins, or tap a night to move it. The overnight counts update as you go.
Schedule pattern
50/50A full week with each parent, exchanging once a week. The fewest exchanges of any equal schedule.
January 2026
January 2026
- Parent A
- Parent B
Tap any night to switch parents.
Alternating weeks is exactly what it sounds like: seven nights with one parent, then seven with the other, exchanging once a week. It's the simplest 50/50 arrangement to write down and the simplest to live with, provided the children can manage a full week away from each parent.
Friday after school is a common choice: it keeps the exchange away from a school morning and gives each parent a complete weekend at the start of their week. Sunday evening is the other common choice.
The trade-off is the gap. Seven nights is a long time for a young child, and it's the reason this schedule shows up far more often for teenagers than for toddlers.
How Week on / week off works
The two weeks, night by night
Parent A has all seven nights of week one. Parent B has all seven nights of week two. One exchange, every seven days, on the same weekday every time.
Choosing the exchange day
Friday is the most common. It avoids school-morning exchanges, gives each parent a full weekend, and makes the week feel like a clean unit. Sunday evening suits families who prefer the exchange to happen at home rather than at school.
Softening the gap
Many plans add a midweek dinner or an overnight in the off week. A midweek dinner doesn't change the overnight count; a midweek overnight does, and turns the split into 8/6 that two weeks. The builder lets you paint that night in and shows you the effect on the totals.
Deciding between this and another pattern? Put them side by side in the custody schedule comparison tool, check your exact numbers with the parenting time calculator, and when the schedule is settled, turn it into a court-ready parenting plan.
Pros and cons
What works well
- Only one exchange a week: around 52 a year
- Each parent gets a complete, uninterrupted week
- Belongings stay in one place for seven days
- Easy to explain to schools, doctors and children
What to watch for
- Seven nights is too long a gap for most young children
- A bad week is a long week for everybody
- Needs both parents to be fully set up for school logistics
- Little natural contact with the other parent unless you build it in
Who week-on/week-off usually suits
Teenagers and older school-age children who can hold a week-long routine in their heads, and parents who live far enough apart that frequent exchanges are impractical. Many families phase into it as the children get older, having started on 2-2-3 or 2-2-5-5.
How it compares
The same figures for the schedules parents usually weigh against this one.
| Schedule | Split | Cycle | Exchanges | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week on / week offThis page | 50/50 | 14 days | 2 / cycle | 7 nights |
| 2-2-5-5 | 50/50 | 14 days | 4 / cycle | 5 nights |
| 3-4-4-3 | 50/50 | 14 days | 4 / cycle | 4 nights |
| 2-2-3 | 50/50 | 14 days | 6 / cycle | 3 nights |
Common questions
How many overnights is week-on/week-off?
What day should the exchange be?
Is a week too long for a young child?
Can we add a midweek visit?
Document preparation only: not legal advice. Not affiliated with any court.