1st, 3rd and 5th weekend custody schedule
In a 1st, 3rd and 5th weekend schedule, one parent has the weekends that start on the first, third and fifth Friday of each month. It is counted by the month, not every second week, so it never drifts. Months with a fifth Friday give that parent two weekends in a row.
Make this calendarMaking and printing the calendar is free, you don’t need an account, and your answers stay on your device.
An example
Parent A and Parent B, starting this Monday. Your own calendar uses your names, start day and holidays.
Two weeks
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday October 26: Parent A | Tuesday October 27: Parent A | Wednesday October 28: Parent A | Thursday October 29: Parent A, today | Friday October 30: Parent B, changes homes | Saturday October 31: Parent B | Sunday November 1: Parent A, changes homes |
| Monday November 2: Parent A | Tuesday November 3: Parent A | Wednesday November 4: Parent A | Thursday November 5: Parent A | Friday November 6: Parent B, changes homes | Saturday November 7: Parent B | Sunday November 8: Parent A, changes homes |
| Monday November 9: Parent A | Tuesday November 10: Parent A | Wednesday November 11: Parent A | Thursday November 12: Parent A | Friday November 13: Parent A | Saturday November 14: Parent A | Sunday November 15: Parent A |
| Monday November 16: Parent A | Tuesday November 17: Parent A | Wednesday November 18: Parent A | Thursday November 19: Parent A | Friday November 20: Parent B, changes homes | Saturday November 21: Parent B | Sunday November 22: Parent A, changes homes |
| Monday November 23: Parent A | Tuesday November 24: Parent A | Wednesday November 25: Parent A | Thursday November 26: Parent A | Friday November 27: Parent A | Saturday November 28: Parent A | Sunday November 29: Parent A |
| Monday November 30: Parent A | Tuesday December 1: Parent A | Wednesday December 2: Parent A | Thursday December 3: Parent A | Friday December 4: Parent B, changes homes | Saturday December 5: Parent B | Sunday December 6: Parent A, changes homes |
From October 26, 2026 to October 25, 2027: 309 nights with Parent A and 56 nights with Parent B (84.7% and 15.3%), before holidays.
How it works
- Find each Friday in the month and number them. Weekends that start on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Friday go to Parent B.
- Here a weekend is Friday and Saturday nights, and the kids go back on Sunday. Every other night is with Parent A.
- When a month has a fifth Friday, the next month’s first Friday follows right after, so that parent has two weekends back to back.
Common variations
- Texas standard possession
- The Texas standard possession order uses 1st, 3rd and 5th weekends, with more rules for school holidays and summer. This calendar shows the weekend rule; check your own order for the rest.
- Longer weekends
- Some orders run the weekend from Thursday or to Monday morning. This calendar shows Friday and Saturday nights, so check the extra nights against your order.
Things families weigh
- The weekends follow the calendar month, so a repeating two-week pattern can’t follow them, and they are easy to miscount by hand.
- Back-to-back weekends happen four or five times a year.
Your family decides which schedule fits, with your lawyer or mediator if you have one. This page only explains how the schedule works.
Questions
What happens when a month has five Fridays?
The fifth weekend goes to the same parent as the 1st and 3rd. The next month’s 1st weekend follows a week later, so that parent has two weekends in a row.
Is this the Texas standard possession schedule?
It is the weekend part of it. The Texas order also covers Thursdays, holidays, spring break and summer. Follow your own order where it says more.
How many weekends a year is that?
About 28 or 29: two in every month, plus the four or five fifth weekends. The calendar counts the exact nights for your year.
Make your own calendar
Pick who has the kids this week and which holidays to include, and the calendar fills in the whole year, plus a calendar for each of your kids.
Start with this schedule