Contact Schedule

It is important for children, especially young children, to have the emotional bonds that can only develop by spending time with parents. In general, the younger the child, the less time that should elapse without seeing both parents. Ideally, time should be balanced between parents, and all children, including infants, should have overnights with both parents. The table below is based on recommendations from a variety of experts, but it should not be interpreted as a hard and fast schedule. Children develop and mature at different rates, and parents are best equipped to develop a schedule that provides their children time with both parents.

Age	Recommended contact with both parents
Under 1 year old	Part of each day.
Age 1 to 2 years	Every other day.
Age 2 to 5 years	Not more than two days without seeing each parent.
Age 5 to 9 years	Alternate weeks, with the "off duty" parent getting a mid-week visitation for his/her off duty week.
Over 9 years	Alternating weeks.