If you are getting a divorce in Michigan, you will have many issues to navigate. If there are children involved, custody and parenting time are frequent sources for dispute. You might try to set up an agreement in which you alternate weeks. This could be problematic and other options may be preferable.

Understanding the pitfalls of alternating weeks does not mean that the 50/50 arrangement will fail. It is just the logistics of the weekly schedule that could be challenging with other strategies possibly working better. Such an arrangement may hinder the child’s ability to adapt. Not seeing the other parent for an entire week could be emotionally taxing, lead to missing the other parent, feeling detachment and experiencing anxiety. Parents who have lingering disagreements from the marriage might have trouble coordinating. With alternating weeks, that could magnify the need for more phone calls and visits.

Work schedules may be an obstacle. It often depends on what you do for a living, what shifts you work and the viability of an adjustment. Bringing the child to school, getting child care or the custody exchange can be difficult. If the child is older than 12, an alternating schedule is a better alternative than it is for younger children. Considering other ways to handle 50/50 custody arrangements could be beneficial. That might include two days with one parent, two with the other, then three with the first parent. It can be changed around the next week. Some parents simply have a conventional weekday/weekend schedule.

Many schedules can be useful when dealing with parenting time after a divorce. Regardless of the parents’ choice, it is imperative to think about the needs of the children. Perhaps alternating weekly could work for some parents and children. If not, they should consider another way. In a divorce, during negotiations and disputes over parenting time, it may be useful to have the advice of a family law attorney.