With an every-other-weekend arrangement the children live with one parent. The other parent has the children every other weekend, often from Friday after school until Sunday evening. It is the best-known contact arrangement, and roughly an 80/20 split.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Parent A | Parent A | Parent A | Parent A | Handover A→B | Parent B | Parent B |
| Week 2 | Handover B→A | Parent A | Parent A | Parent A | Parent A | Parent A | Parent A |
Half coloured = handover day: the children go from one parent to the other that day.
How it works
In the example, parent B has Friday to Sunday in week 1. That is 3 of the 14 days: about 80/20.
Many parents also agree on something extra, such as a fixed afternoon or dinner on a weekday, and part of the holidays. With an extra weekday you get a 70/30 split.
Advantages
- One fixed base and few handovers: a calm school week.
- Also works if you live far apart.
- Clear for everyone, including school and childcare.
Disadvantages
- The children sometimes don't see the other parent for almost two weeks. An extra moment or video calls help.
- The parent the children live with carries most of the daily care.
- The weekend parent misses ordinary school days; that means keeping each other well informed.
Who is it for?
Often chosen when parents live far apart, when one parent has little room on weekdays, or when the children mainly want to live with one parent.
Variations
- Every other weekend until Monday morning (to school): an extra night, and the handover happens via school.
- Every other weekend plus a Wednesday every other week: about 70/30.
The schedule in Harmoneaz
In Harmoneaz you colour in the schedule once, over one or two weeks. The app finds the handover days itself, puts them in both parents' calendars and creates a packing list for each handover day. A swap or holiday goes in as a temporary schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What is a common contact arrangement?
Every other weekend, Friday to Sunday, plus half of the holidays and celebrations, is a common arrangement in the Netherlands. What suits you depends on the children's age, the distance and your work.
Is a contact arrangement the same as co-parenting?
Not quite. With co-parenting the children spend roughly equal time with both parents. With a contact arrangement they mainly live with one parent and see the other at fixed moments. A shared calendar is useful either way.
Can I keep track of a contact arrangement in Harmoneaz?
Yes. You colour in the two weeks: the weekend days in the other parent's colour, the rest in yours. Holidays go in as a temporary schedule. The other parent sees the same and can follow along without a subscription.
Other schedules
- Week on week off: A full week with one parent, then a full week with the other. One handover a week.
- 2-2-5-5 (5-2-2-5): Each parent has two fixed weekdays; weekends alternate. An equal split, four handovers per two weeks.
- 2-2-3: Blocks of two, two and three days. Never more than three days with one parent, six handovers per two weeks.
- 70/30: The children mainly live with one parent; the other parent has every other weekend and a weekday.
- 60/40: Nearly equal: the other parent has every other weekend and a fixed weekday every week.
Compare all co-parenting schedules
More information
- Dutch government: parenting plan checklist (in Dutch)
- Netherlands Youth Institute: separation (in Dutch)
This is general information, not legal advice. The split in days is an approximation: the number of nights depends on the handover moment.
