2-2-3 schedule
The 2-2-3 schedule repeats a pattern of two nights, two nights, three nights over two weeks, so each home has the children about half the nights.
Two weeks at a glance
| Night | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | A | A | B | B | A | A | A |
| Week 2 | B | B | A | A | B | B | B |
Each box is a night. A is the first home, B the second; swap them if the other parent starts.
Nights a year
183 / 182
Changeovers
6 every 2 weeks
Longest stretch
3 / 3 nights
School nights (of 10)
A 5 · B 5
Weekend nights (of 4)
A 2 · B 2
Two summer weeks each
183 / 182 nights
Try your own version, with holidays and extra nights, in the parenting-time calculator.
How the 2-2-3 works
The 2-2-3 schedule is a two-week loop built from short blocks. One home has the children for two nights, the other home has them for two nights, and the first home has them for three nights. The next week mirrors that pattern: the second home gets the two-night block, the first home gets the next two nights, and the second home gets the three-night block.
Over the full 14-night cycle, each home has seven nights. Over a year that works out to Home A 183 nights and Home B 182 nights of 365, which is an even 50/50 split. The longest stay at either home is three nights, and there are six changeovers across the two-week loop.
The schedule also spreads school nights and weekend nights evenly. In a two-week cycle, Sunday to Thursday nights come to five at Home A and five at Home B out of ten school nights. Friday and Saturday nights come to two at Home A and two at Home B out of four weekend nights.
A two-week cycle, night by night
Here is the same cycle night by night. In week one, Monday and Tuesday nights are at Home A. Wednesday and Thursday nights are at Home B. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights are at Home A, which makes the three-night block.
In week two, Monday and Tuesday nights are at Home B. Wednesday and Thursday nights are at Home A. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights are at Home B. Then the loop starts again.
Two details trip parents up. First, Sunday night belongs to the three-night block. Second, the pattern flips every week but only repeats fully every two weeks. If you mark only one week on the kitchen calendar, you will create the wrong plan for the next week. Write both weeks down, or use a calendar that shows the full 14 nights.
Who it tends to suit
The 2-2-3 schedule tends to suit families who live close enough for frequent handoffs and who can keep communication fairly steady. It gives children regular contact with both homes and no long stretch away from either parent. That can be a good fit for younger children, who often cope better with shorter gaps between seeing each parent.
It can also work for school-age children and teens, especially if they are organized and have a say in the plan. Keep in mind that school-age children and teens often prefer fewer changeovers, while younger children often need more frequent contact. Children develop at different speeds, so watch your own child rather than matching a label.
It is less appealing when homes are far apart, when work travel is unpredictable, or when a child needs a long run of nights to settle. A 2-2-3 schedule asks a lot of bags, chargers, sports kits and school folders. If mornings are already tight, the six changeovers every two weeks can feel heavy. Try it for a set period, such as six weeks, then review what is actually hard.
Handoffs, school nights and activities
Handoffs go better when they are boring and predictable. Agree on the time, the place and who does the pickup. A school gate or a neutral corner can be easier than a front room where everyone feels watched. Keep the exchange short. A simple 'I have the blue folder, you have the lunchbox' does more than a long debrief.
Use the school-night count to plan the week. On a two-week loop, each home has five of the ten Sunday to Thursday nights, so both homes need a workable school morning routine. Pack the bag the night before. Keep a duplicate charger, hairbrush, sports sock or calculator at each home if you can. Label what travels.
Activities need a shared list, not memory. Write down practice times, game days, club fees and who drives. If a changeover falls in the middle of a school event, decide ahead whether the parent at the event hands over afterward or whether the other parent collects from school. For the legal side of your parenting agreement, courts, local child-support rules and your own agreement decide. Ask a mediator or family lawyer for specifics.
Holidays and summer
The 2-2-3 rhythm is usually a term-time schedule. Holidays, school breaks and summer need their own written plan, because the normal loop will not cover a two-week trip or a holiday that falls on your handoff day. Put the dates in the agreement and in the shared calendar early.
Some families alternate holidays and split longer breaks. Others keep the 2-2-3 loop through ordinary school breaks and make separate plans for summer. If each home takes two summer weeks in the way your agreement sets out, the yearly totals in this example stay at Home A 183 nights and Home B 182 nights. The point is to decide before the season starts, not during the last week of school.
Travel adds another layer. Agree on notice, flight times and whether a missed weekend is made up. Keep holiday handoffs at a set time, and do not leave a child guessing about which home they return to. Courts, local child-support rules and your own parenting agreement decide how holiday time and costs are handled. A mediator or family lawyer can help you write the details down.
Making it work for your children
Children do not need a perfect calendar. They need to know what happens next. Tell them the plan in plain words: 'Monday and Tuesday you are at Home A, then Wednesday and Thursday at Home B.' Keep the same bedtime, toothbrush routine and morning order in both homes where you can.
Let a comfort item travel without a fight. Allow a little quiet time after a handoff. Do not quiz a child about the other home or use them to pass messages. If they seem unsettled, look at the practical pieces first: sleep, school mornings, bags, and whether the changeover time is rushed.
Review the schedule after a few weeks. The 2-2-3 gives each home 183 or 182 nights a year, but the lived experience is in the handoffs. If the plan is not working, you can adjust it with your co-parent, or with a mediator or family lawyer if the agreement needs to change. Every family is different, and a schedule that fits one child may not fit another.
TaskFamily runs the 2-2-3 for you: each child's week follows it, the right chores and reminders appear at the right home, swaps need the other parent's approval, and there is a reminder before every handoff.
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Questions parents ask
What is the 2-2-3 schedule in co-parenting?
It is a two-week repeating plan: two nights at one home, two nights at the other, then three nights at the first home, with the pattern flipped the next week. Over 14 nights, each home has seven nights.
Is the 2-2-3 schedule a 50/50 split?
Yes, in the common version described here. Over a year it comes to Home A 183 nights and Home B 182 nights of 365, which is a 50/50 split. Your own parenting agreement, local child-support rules and courts decide your actual schedule.
How many handoffs does a 2-2-3 schedule have?
There are six changeovers across the two-week loop. That is more frequent than alternating weeks, which has two changeovers every two weeks. The longest stretch at either home is three nights.
Does 2-2-3 work well for school-age children?
It can, but it is not the only fit. School-age children and teens often prefer fewer changeovers, while younger children often cope better with shorter gaps between seeing each parent. Try it for a set period and review how school mornings, sleep and activities are going.
Compare other schedules
| Schedule | Split | Changeovers / 2 weeks | Longest stretch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alternating weeks (7-7) | 50/50 | 2 | 7 nights |
| 2-2-3 schedule | 50/50 | 6 | 3 nights |
| 2-2-5-5 schedule | 50/50 | 4 | 5 nights |
| 3-4-4-3 schedule | 50/50 | 4 | 4 nights |
| Alternating weeks with a midweek overnight | 50/50 | 6 | 4 nights |
| 4-3 schedule | 57/43 | 4 | 4 nights |
| 5-2 schedule (school week and weekends) | 71/29 | 4 | 5 nights |
| Every other weekend plus a midweek overnight | 64/36 | 6 | 6 nights |
| Extended every other weekend | 71/29 | 2 | 10 nights |
| Every other weekend | 79/21 | 2 | 11 nights |
Read more: co-parenting schedules explained · parenting plan builder
Nights, changeovers and stretches are calculated from the pattern itself, with the same arithmetic as our parenting-time calculator; the guide text is drafted with AI from those numbers and checked automatically before it is published. This is general information, not legal advice. Updated November 6, 2026.