The 3-4-4-3 Custody Schedule
Three days with one parent, four with the other — then it flips the next week.
How the 3-4-4-3 schedule works
Week one: Parent A has Monday–Wednesday, Parent B has Thursday–Sunday. Week two: Parent A has Monday–Thursday, Parent B has Friday–Sunday. Each parent keeps a consistent 'side' of the week, and only one midweek day trades hands.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | A | A | A | B | B | B | B |
| Week 2 | A | A | A | A | B | B | B |
Across the two-week cycle that's 7 overnights with Parent A and 7 with Parent B — a 50/50 time split.
Advantages
- Only two handoffs a week
- Each parent's days stay on a consistent side of the week
- True 50/50 with decent stretch lengths
Trade-offs
- Weekend time isn't perfectly even inside a single week
- Slightly lopsided weeks can complicate standing activities
Who it suits
The 3-4-4-3 schedule tends to fit families who want 50/50 with fewer exchanges than 2-2-3 but shorter gaps than week-on/week-off.
See it laid out on a real calendar
The free Custody Schedule Maker draws this rotation (and the alternatives) across a month so you can compare before committing.
What this schedule means for shared expenses
Time split and money split are separate decisions: a 50/50 schedule doesn't automatically make every cost 50/50. Clothing, activities, and school costs follow whatever your order or agreement says — and with kids moving between homes, receipts and reimbursements multiply. A shared, neutral ledger where each expense carries its receipt and agreed split keeps the schedule about the kids, not the money.
→ Compare all common custody schedules · → Which schedule is right for your family?
General information for co-parents, not legal advice. Custody arrangements are set by your agreement or court order.