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Specialty tag(s): Child Custody

What Is a Standard Possession Schedule?

Lindsey Obenhaus | March 3, 2023

What Is a Standard Possession Schedule? 

The standard possession schedule is the schedule found in our Texas Family Code. The Texas standard possession schedule is often used as the baseline for any parent’s time with their kids. When you talk about a standard possession schedule, you’ll often hear terms like first, third, and fifth weekends, extended summer, and weekday times. These parts of the Texas standard possession schedule help a parent plan the time they’ll spend with their children during the year. The Texas standard possession order holiday schedule will commonly include alternating holidays. 

When is it the Right Fit for a Family? When is it Not? 

The standard possession schedule in Texas works well for many families because it’s easily adaptable. But in many situations, parents decide to deviate from or modify the standard possession schedule because they may have unique circumstances, like conflicting job schedules. They may be a firefighter or a pilot, or they may know in their heart that it’s just not the best schedule for their kids. Parents who may have difficulty picking up kids from school or taking them to school may have specific reasons why they want to find a different schedule that works for their family. 

What is Most Important to Remember When Determining if a Standard Possession Schedule is the Right Fit? 

The most important thing to remember when determining whether to use the standard possession schedule in Texas is: don’t just look at where your kids and your family are today. Also, look at what your needs will be in the future. The goal in your case is to create a schedule that doesn’t just work now but also endures the test of time with your family. When it comes to Texas’ standard possession order, holiday schedule decisions can be critical to ensure children can celebrate holidays in a way that works for everyone. For more information on custody schedules, please get in touch with Lindsey Obenhaus at 214-974-5943.