The 70/30 Schedule
A steady weekday overnight plus alternating weekends. One home carries most of the calendar, the other stays reliably present every week.
How it works
The 70/30 schedule combines two familiar pieces. Household B gets a standing weekday overnight every single week, often a Wednesday, plus every other weekend from Friday through Sunday. Household A has the kids for everything else. Averaged across the two-week cycle, that lands close to a 70/30 split of the calendar.
It is a common landing spot for families who want more contact than a plain every-other-weekend schedule gives, without moving all the way to an even 50/50 split.
Who it fits
Kid ages
Works across most ages, since one home stays the steady daily base while the other holds a reliable, repeating slot every week rather than long gaps between visits.
Distance between homes
Needs the two homes close enough for a workable weekday overnight, so it fits within the same town or school zone better than it fits a long-distance setup.
Work schedules
Fits well when one parent has a demanding or less flexible weekday schedule and the other can reliably hold one fixed weeknight plus alternating weekends.
Pros and cons
Pros
- More frequent contact than a plain every-other-weekend schedule
- The standing weeknight becomes a dependable weekly fixture
- Fewer overall handoffs than a 50/50 rotation
Cons
- Time is still meaningfully uneven between homes
- Needs both homes close enough for a weeknight changeover
- The exact split can drift depending on which weekday is chosen
An example month
Say Wednesday is the standing overnight and Household B's weekend falls on the first and third weekends of the month. Week one: kids are with Household A Monday and Tuesday, Household B Wednesday overnight, back to Household A Thursday and Friday, then Household B for the weekend, Saturday and Sunday. Week two runs the same Monday through Friday pattern, but the weekend stays with Household A since it is not their turn. Week three repeats week one, week four repeats week two. A single swap for a birthday or trip layers on top of this without disturbing the standing Wednesday or the weekend rotation.
Frequently asked
Is 70/30 the same as every other weekend?
It is a step up from it. Every other weekend alone usually lands closer to 80/20 or 85/15; adding a standing weekday overnight is what typically brings the split to roughly 70/30.
Which weekday works best for the added overnight?
Most families pick a day that does not conflict with a regular activity, often Wednesday, and keep it the same every week so it becomes a predictable, easy-to-remember fixture.
Does 70/30 ever shift toward more even time?
It often does over time as kids get older or logistics change. Families frequently move from 70/30 toward 2-2-5-5 or 2-2-3 once both homes are close enough for more frequent handoffs.
How exact does the 70/30 split need to be?
It is a description, not a formula. Most 70/30 schedules land somewhere between 65/35 and 75/25 depending on the exact days chosen, and that is completely normal.
A month at a glance
The full two-week rotation, repeated across a month. Print it, pin it up, and color in your real dates. Day 1 is wherever your cycle starts.
Free, one page, no sign-up. Prints clean in color or black and white.
Build this schedule in ten seconds
Pick a 70/30 rhythm, answer whose night it is tonight, and WhoseNight builds your whole calendar automatically, widget included.
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