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Specialty tag(s): Child Custody

What Is a Standard Possession Schedule?

Lindsey Obenhaus | September 28, 2021

What is a standard posession schedule?

The standard possession schedule is the schedule found in our Texas Family Code. For that reason, it’s often used as the baseline for any parent’s periods of 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, alternating holidays and weekday time. These are just parts of the standard possession schedule that help a parent plan the time that they’ll spend with their children during the year.

When is it the right fit? When is it not?

The standard possession schedule works well for many families because it’s easily adaptable. But in a lot of situations, parents decide to deviate or modify the standard possession schedule, because they may have unique circumstances, like their job schedules. They may be a firefighter or a pilot, or they may know in their heart that it’s just not the right schedule for their kids. In my experience, parents who may have a hard time 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 posession schedule is the right fit?

The most important thing to remember when determining whether to use the standard possession schedule 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 going to be to create a schedule that doesn’t just work now, but also endures the test of time with your family. For more information on custody schedules, please contact Lindsey Obenhaus at 214-373-7676.