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The 2-2-3 custody schedule

In a 2-2-3 schedule the children spend two nights with one parent, two with the other, then three back with the first. The next week the order flips. Nobody goes more than three nights without seeing the children, which is why it is common for babies, toddlers and younger school-age children.

nights each fortnight
7 / 7
nights each fortnight
handoffs a fortnight
6
handoffs a fortnight
longest stretch, nights
3
longest stretch, nights

Your 2-2-3 calendar

Pattern
First nights go to

2-2-3 schedule

Starts Monday 9 November 2026. Handoffs at 5:00pm. Made with ParentHelm.

Your year

2-2-3

50%
Parent A · 182 nights
50%
Parent B · 182 nights
Handoffs a month
12.9
Longest with Parent A
3 nights
Longest with Parent B
3 nights

The first four weeks

9Nov
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1Dec
2
3
4
5
6

Twelve months

  • Parent A
  • Parent B
  • Handoff day
November 2026
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
December
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
January 2027
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
February
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
March
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
April
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
May
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
June
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
July
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
August
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
September
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
October
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

Keep it, and share it with the other parent

Free. Both of you see the same calendar, on any phone.

How a fortnight works

  1. Monday and Tuesday nights with parent A.
  2. Wednesday and Thursday nights with parent B.
  3. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights with parent A.
  4. The second week mirrors it: Monday and Tuesday with B, Wednesday and Thursday with A, the weekend with B.

Who it suits

  • Young children who find a week apart from either parent too long.
  • Parents who live close enough that school runs work from both homes.
  • Families who want weekends to alternate cleanly.

What to watch for

  • Six handoffs every two weeks. If handoffs are tense, that is a lot of contact; doing them at school or daycare helps.
  • Weeknights move every week, so a regular Tuesday club ends up with a different parent each week.
  • Children need two of most things: chargers, a school uniform, the favourite hoodie.

Why weekends feel longer

The three-night block always lands on Friday to Sunday, so each parent gets a full weekend every other week, plus a two-night midweek visit in the weeks they do not. Many parents like that the weekend comes with the Monday drop-off at school, which removes a handoff at the door.

When families move on from 2-2-3

As children get older and more independent, the frequent changes can start to feel like living out of a bag. A lot of families move to 5-2-2-5, which keeps the same 50/50 time but gives each parent the same weeknights every week, or to week on, week off once children are around 9 or 10. In ParentHelm you can change the schedule from a date, and every night before that keeps the old pattern, so the record of what actually happened stays true.

Questions

Is 2-2-3 a 50/50 schedule?

Yes. Over two weeks each parent has seven nights.

How many handoffs does 2-2-3 have?

Six every fortnight, roughly thirteen a month. Doing them at school or daycare means the parents rarely have to meet.

What age is 2-2-3 best for?

It is most often used for babies, toddlers and children under about eight, because no stretch away from either parent is longer than three nights. What suits your child is a judgement for the two of you, and for a mediator or court if you have one.

Compare: 5-2-2-5 custody schedule, Week on, week off, 3-4-4-3 custody schedule, or see all schedules side by side.

ParentHelm keeps a dated record of your schedule, swaps, expenses and messages. It does not give legal advice, and it is not a court-approved or court-mandated service. For advice about custody or a parenting plan, talk to a family lawyer or mediator where you live.