Opinions on this custody schedule
Wife left 6 months ago with our 2 little kids (infant and toddler).
Moved 45 minutes away to her parents house.
I have 50/50 with toddler right now, but nothing in writing besides texts. Been doing it no problem for about 5 months now. We meet half way 2 times per week.
I've had 15 overnights with my baby including multiple 2-night stretches. Once I hit 3 nights per week steady it's over 40% which courts here view as 50/50 and child support drops a lot.
She's a nurse, going back to work in 3 months once mat leave completes.
Toddler is in 2 daycares, one near the marital home, where they've attended over 2 years now, and one near ex's parents house, 45 minutes away, for about 2 months now. My lawyer told me not to fight her on that, as courts might've granted her it anyway "on her time".
She's recently proposed a schedule where the kids will go to school/daycare near her parents, and I can have "mostly weekends" and she'll have "mostly weekdays". However, she's piggybacking off a verbal suggestion I made months ago, which also includes a Wednesday "visit" after school where I can take the kids out for supper, play, etc.
She'll be working weekends too, so has offered me 3 weekends per month. Then, on her weekend, I'd get Thursday/Friday instead.
The more I think about the schedule, the more I'm seeing the benefits, with some alterations, but perhaps I'm missing something.
I'd obviously prefer that my kids to go to school near me, but my lawyer said the courts may side with her, since she needs her parents for child care during her odd nurse shift hours. I find this strange, as the marital home, established daycare, family doctor, my parents, and my toddler's friends (5+ kids) are all in the home neighborhood. All that exists where she is are her parents. My lawyer was quite unenthusiastic about my chances of winning school catchment.
Please give me your opinion on this schedule:
I'd pick kids up around 3pm on Friday afternoon, and keep them until Monday morning. That means I'd be involved in the school system Monday and Friday at minimum. I'd also suggest a bi-weekly Wednesday overnight instead of just always visits, whereas the other Wednesdays would be just 3-4 hour outings with the kids.
I'd get 3 weekends per month (Fri afternoon to Monday morning), plus Wednesday after school (biweekly overnights), and then Thurs/Friday overnights once per month during her weekend turn.
This puts my parenting time around 45%, which can be offset closer to 50% with more summer/holiday time.
I'd get more uninterrupted kid time during my weekends, and she'd be doing a lot of the weekly school rush/grind (or her parents would, as she's a nurse with early/late hours sometimes).
I'd request the ability to reconsider schedule every few years or something as kids age, but they're so young right now I think it may work. Kids are on the bus an hour often anyway so a 45 minute drive ~3 times per week doesn't seem too extreme.
This schedule would give me 1 weekend per month for personal time, dates, etc. I'd get quality time with my kids, and many free week nights. I'd also only go max 2 days without seeing my kids.
She's working at a hospital closer to the marital home than her parents, so I'd suggest we coordinate exchanges with kids on some of her shifts to save me some additional driving.
Thoughts? Thanks guys