What the schedule looks like
One exchange a week, usually on the same weekday and at the same place — Friday after school or Sunday evening are common. Each parent gets a complete week including a weekend, which keeps routines simple and makes planning activities easier. The trade-off is a seven-day gap between visits, which is why many parents add a midweek dinner or overnight with the other parent.
Decisions the calendar needs
- The exchange day, time and location (for example Friday 17:00 at Parent A's home)
- Which parent has the first week and from what date
- Whether there is a midweek visit, and if so which evening
- How holidays, birthdays and school breaks override the rotation
How it works in CoParent
A custody block in CoParent is an all-day date range for one parent, so each week is a single block from exchange day to exchange day. The Repeat weeks option copies a block to the same days in following weeks; because alternating weeks switch parent every week, you enter one block per week for each parent and extend as you go. The weekly exchange and any fixed midweek visit fall on the same weekday every week, so those can repeat.
Making the long gap easier
Midweek visits are calendar events too — add them as custody or exchange events for the visiting parent so they appear for both of you. Use the family message thread for the small things (the reading book, the inhaler) and pin anything that recurs. Both parents see the same record, so nothing depends on memory.
This guide describes common arrangements and how to enter them in CoParent. It is not legal advice. Your parenting plan or court order governs your schedule; for anything about the agreement itself, speak with a qualified attorney or mediator.
Steps
- Create or join the family
One parent creates the family and adds the children; the other joins with the invite code.
- Add Parent A's first week
Calendar → + → Custody → Parent A, date range from the first exchange day to the day before the next. Repeat weeks: 1.
- Add Parent B's week
Same again for Parent B, starting on the exchange day.
- Extend the rotation
Keep alternating blocks for as far ahead as you plan — a month or two is typical. Add more as the calendar fills.
- Add the weekly exchange
Add an Exchange event on the handover day with time and location. It falls on the same weekday every week, so set Repeat weeks to cover the period you planned.
- Add midweek visits, if any
Add the midweek dinner or overnight as an event for the visiting parent, repeating weekly.
- Record what happens
Mark each exchange on time, late or missed, and route changes through swap requests so both parents keep the same record.
Frequently asked questions
Is week on/week off good for young children?
Many families prefer shorter rotations such as 2-2-3 for younger children because the gaps are shorter, and move to alternating weeks as children get older. It is a decision for the parents and, where needed, a mediator or attorney — not something an app should decide.
How do we handle school holidays?
Enter the holiday arrangement from your plan as custody blocks for those dates in place of the usual rotation. Changes during the holiday go through swap requests like any other day.
Can the exchange happen at school without the parents meeting?
Yes, and many parents choose that. Set the exchange location to the school; the parent whose week ends drops off in the morning and the other collects in the afternoon.
CoParent is a coordination tool for parents. It is not legal advice and does not replace a lawyer, mediator or court process.