4-3 schedule
The 4-3 schedule gives one home four nights a week and the other three, the same every week, a 57/43 split with four handoffs every two weeks.
Two weeks at a glance
| Night | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | A | A | A | A | B | B | B |
| Week 2 | A | A | 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
209 / 156
Changeovers
4 every 2 weeks
Longest stretch
4 / 3 nights
School nights (of 10)
A 8 · B 2
Weekend nights (of 4)
A 0 · B 4
Two summer weeks each
207 / 158 nights
Try your own version, with holidays and extra nights, in the parenting-time calculator.
How the 4-3 works
The 4-3 schedule gives one home four nights a week and the other home three, and it repeats the same way every week. In the usual pattern, the children sleep Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Home A, then Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Home B. The next week is identical. There is no week one and week two to track, which is the point: the rhythm is easy to remember and easy to put on a wall calendar.
Over a calendar year, that adds up to 209 nights at Home A and 156 at Home B out of 365. That is a 57/43 split, not 50/50. Home A has the longer stretch, four nights in a row. Home B has three nights in a row. You get four changeovers every two weeks, because the children move on Friday and again on Monday.
Because the pattern never flips, the trade-off is built in. One home gets more nights and more school-night routine. The other gets fewer nights but every weekend. Whether that feels fair depends on work schedules, housing, the children's ages and what you agree. Write it down clearly, including handoff times, so no one has to renegotiate each week.
A two-week cycle, night by night
Take a two-week view and the cycle is simple. Week one: Monday night Home A, Tuesday night Home A, Wednesday night Home A, Thursday night Home A, Friday night Home B, Saturday night Home B, Sunday night Home B. Week two is exactly the same. Then it repeats. Over those 14 nights, Home A has eight and Home B has six.
The school-night math matters more than the total. Over two weeks, Sunday to Thursday nights break down as Home A eight and Home B two. Home B has the two Sunday nights, which means Home B handles the Monday morning get-ready and school run. Home A handles Tuesday through Friday mornings. Friday and Saturday nights over two weeks are four in total, and all four are at Home B. Home A has no Friday or Saturday nights.
A typical week runs like this. The children wake at Home B on Monday, go to school from there, and move to Home A after school. They stay at Home A Monday through Thursday nights, then move to Home B on Friday, either at the school gate or after school. They wake at Home B on Saturday and Sunday, and the cycle starts again on Monday. Because the handoff days are fixed, you can plan clubs, work travel and weekend plans around them instead of guessing.
Who it tends to suit
This schedule tends to suit families who want a steady weekly rhythm more than an even split. It can work well when one home is set up for the school week, close to school or able to handle homework, early starts and bedtime on Monday through Thursday. It can also work when the other home has more flexible weekends and wants that time with the children. The fixed pattern means fewer scheduling conversations, which some co-parents value.
It can suit school-age children and teenagers who dislike a lot of midweek moves. The longest stretch at either home is four nights, and there are four changeovers every two weeks. That is more settled than a 2-2-3 schedule, which has six changeovers every two weeks, and less settled than alternating weeks, which has two. The trade-off is the 57/43 split. If you need equal time, alternating weeks, 2-2-3, 3-4-4-3 or a 2-2-5-5 pattern will fit that goal better.
For younger children, think carefully about the four-night gap from the other parent. Younger children often cope better with shorter gaps between seeing each parent, though every child is different. Some three-year-olds handle four nights fine; some six-year-olds find it long. The schedule is not a test of love. It is a practical arrangement, and it can be reviewed if it is not working. Courts, local child-support rules and your own parenting agreement decide the legal side, so take advice from a mediator or family lawyer if you need specifics.
Handoffs, school nights and activities
Handoffs go best when they are short, predictable and child-focused. Agree the time, the place and who does the driving. Many families use the school gate on Friday and Monday because it cuts out an extra trip and gives the children a clean transition. If you hand over at home, keep it brief. A simple “Have a good weekend, I’ll see you Monday” is enough. Save the logistics for a message or a shared note, not the doorstep.
School nights carry most of the load in this pattern. Home A has eight of the ten Sunday-to-Thursday nights over two weeks, so Home A is usually the home for homework, reading logs, uniform prep and early bedtimes. Home B has the two Sunday nights, so Home B should check the Monday bag, the lunch, the permission slip and the PE kit before Monday morning. A shared calendar with test dates, project deadlines and club times prevents a rushed Monday morning.
Activities need a clear owner for each day. Weekday clubs usually fall to Home A, weekend matches and lessons usually fall to Home B, but that is not a rule. Put the details in one shared place: who pays, who drives, what kit is needed and where it lives. If a child needs a musical instrument or a sports bag to travel, pack it the night before. Keep both homes on the school email list and, where the school allows it, both parents on the portal. That way no one is guessing about a trip or a teacher's note.
Holidays and summer
Holidays usually override the weekly pattern, so decide the big dates early. You can agree a holiday plan by a set date each year, then share it in writing. You might alternate a major holiday, split a school break into two blocks, or keep a birthday with the same parent each year. The goal is fewer surprises, not a perfect score. Put travel dates, flight times and addresses in a shared calendar as soon as they are booked.
Summer needs its own plan. The 4-3 can run straight through the summer, but longer blocks often suit children better when school is out. If you swap two summer weeks each way, the yearly total shifts slightly to 207 nights at Home A and 158 at Home B. That is still close to a 57/43 split. Two-week blocks can reduce handoffs and let a child settle into a camp, a trip or a grandparent visit. Agree the swap dates before anyone books a flight.
If you cannot agree, do not leave it to the last week of term. A mediator can help you build a holiday plan, and a family lawyer can explain your options. Courts and local child-support rules decide the legal and financial details, and those rules vary by place. This article is general information, not legal advice. Keep the children out of the negotiation. They need the dates, not the argument.
Making it work for your children
Explain the pattern in plain words and put it where the children can see it. A wall calendar with two colors, one for each home, works for many families. So does a simple phrase: “School nights at Home A, weekends at Home B.” For younger children, mark the next handoff with a sticker. For teenagers, keep a shared digital calendar so they can plan sports, friends and part-time work. Children develop at different speeds, and some need more warning about changes than others.
Keep the routines similar across both homes where you can. A familiar bedtime, the same breakfast default and a predictable bag-packing routine reduce the friction. Let the children take a comfort item, a favorite pillow or a book. Do not quiz them about the other home when they come back, and do not use them to pass messages. If they want to call the other parent, agree a simple window and make the call easy. The handoff is not the place to discuss money, schedules or old arguments.
Review the schedule after a school term, not every week. Ask what is working and what is not. Maybe the Friday handoff needs to move to the school gate. Maybe a child needs one extra call midweek. Maybe the 4-3 is fine for now but will need adjusting next year. A schedule is a tool, not a verdict. If you need to change it, put the change in writing and, where the legal side matters, get help from a mediator or family lawyer.
TaskFamily runs the 4-3 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.
Free for one household. The Co-parent plan covers both homes for $19 a month - $9.50 each when two parents split it.
Questions parents ask
Is a 4-3 schedule 50/50?
No. The 4-3 schedule is a 57/43 split, with 209 nights a year at the four-night home and 156 at the three-night home. If you need an even split, look at alternating weeks, 2-2-3, 3-4-4-3 or 2-2-5-5 instead.
What nights does each home have in a 4-3 schedule?
In the usual pattern, Home A has Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. Home B has Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The same pattern repeats every week, so there is no week one and week two to track.
How many handoffs are there in a 4-3 schedule?
There are two handoffs a week, one on Friday and one on Monday, which makes four every two weeks. The Friday handoff can happen at school pickup, and the Monday handoff can happen at school pickup or after school.
Is a 4-3 schedule good for young children?
It can be, but it depends on the child. Younger children often cope better with shorter gaps between seeing each parent, and the 4-3 has a four-night stretch at Home A. Some children handle that well and some find it long, so watch how yours settles and review the plan if needed.
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.