Joint parenting time is informal language for a schedule in which both parents have meaningful and significant time with the child. It does not necessarily mean equal time, though equal time is one version of it. In Arizona, the specific schedule how many overnights, which weekdays, which weekends, which holidays is what the parenting plan defines. The label is less important than the actual arrangement.

Arizona does not presume that equal parenting time is always in the child’s best interests. The court looks at the specific family, the child’s needs and relationships, the parents’ work schedules and living situations, the child’s school and activity schedule, and the distance between the homes. Equal time works well in some families. It creates logistical and emotional problems in others.

Joint parenting time arrangements require communication and cooperation between parents to work well day to day. The parenting plan should anticipate that reality and build in protocols for schedule changes, communication, and conflict resolution that match the actual dynamics of this family.