What Should Be in a Michigan Parenting Plan

Why a Vague Parenting Plan Sets You Up for Conflict

One of the most common mistakes Michigan parents make during divorce is agreeing to "reasonable parenting time" without specifying what that actually means. The Friend of the Court sees this constantly — parents who thought they had an understanding show up six months later fighting over Thanksgiving, spring break, and who picks the kids up from school on Wednesdays.

Michigan courts want specificity. The more detailed your parenting plan, the less room there is for conflict later. And under Michigan's 180-day waiting period for divorces involving minor children, you have time to get this right.

The Core Custody Designations

Every Michigan parenting plan must establish two separate custody arrangements:

Legal custody determines who makes major decisions about the child's education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. Under MCL § 722.26a, joint legal custody means both parents must cooperate on these decisions. Sole legal custody gives one parent unilateral authority.

Physical custody determines where the child lives. Joint physical custody means the child spends significant time in both homes — though it doesn't require an exact 50/50 split. Sole physical custody places the child primarily with one parent while the other receives specific parenting time.

Your plan should state these designations clearly. If you're sharing joint legal custody, include a dispute resolution mechanism for when you can't agree — such as requiring FOC mediation before filing a motion, or designating "impasse rights" that give one parent tie-breaking authority on specific topics like school enrollment or elective medical procedures.

A Detailed Regular Schedule

Specify the exact days and times for exchanges. A strong regular schedule covers:

• Weekday and weekend rotation — Which nights the child spends at each home, including the exact exchange time (e.g., "Friday at 6:00 p.m." rather than "Friday evening")
• Midweek parenting time — If one parent has every-other-weekend time, does the other parent get a Wednesday dinner visit or overnight?
• School-year vs. summer variations — Many Michigan families use a different rotation during summer break
• Transportation responsibilities — Who drives to the exchange location, and where that location is

The Friend of the Court defaults to assuming 95 overnights per year for "reasonable" parenting time when calculating child support under the Michigan Child Support Formula. If your actual arrangement differs from 95 overnights, document the exact number — it directly affects the support calculation through the Parental Time Offset Equation.

Holiday and School Break Provisions

Michigan courts consider holiday schedules essential. Your plan should specify:

• Major holidays — Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day
• Rotation mechanism — Even/odd years is the most common approach (Parent A gets Thanksgiving in even years, Parent B in odd years)
• Holiday hours — Does Christmas Day run from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., or from Christmas Eve at 6:00 p.m. through Christmas Day at 6:00 p.m.?
• School breaks — Spring break, winter break, and summer break divisions
• Parent-specific days — Mother's Day, Father's Day, and each parent's birthday

Include a clause specifying that holiday schedules override the regular rotation. Without this, you'll have conflicts every time Thanksgiving falls on a regular parenting-time day.

For a detailed breakdown of common holiday rotation approaches, see our Michigan custody holiday schedule guide.

Decision-Making Provisions for Joint Legal Custody

If you share joint legal custody, your plan should address how you'll handle:

• Education decisions — School district, private vs. public school, tutoring, special education services
• Healthcare — Primary pediatrician selection, elective procedures, therapy or counseling, medication decisions
• Religious upbringing — Church attendance, religious education, sacraments or ceremonies
• Extracurricular activities — Sports, camps, and activities that affect the other parent's parenting time or finances

Consider building in a communication protocol — for example, requiring written notice at least 14 days before a non-emergency medical appointment, or requiring both parents to attend school conferences when possible.

Exchange Rules and Communication

Custody exchanges are a frequent source of conflict. Good plans address:

• Exchange location — A neutral public location like a school, library, or police station lobby can reduce tension
• Late arrival protocols — How long the receiving parent waits, and what happens if the other parent is a no-show
• Right of first refusal — If the custodial parent can't be with the child during their time (work travel, evening event), must they offer the time to the other parent before calling a babysitter?
• Communication method — Many Michigan courts encourage using documented platforms like OurFamilyWizard or TalkingParents, especially in high-conflict cases

The SCAO Forms Your Plan Works With

Michigan's State Court Administrative Office provides standardized forms for custody and parenting time. Your parenting plan should be compatible with these forms, which include the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act Affidavit and the standard custody and parenting time order. The forms are available free through Michigan Legal Help and county clerk offices.

Your parenting plan provisions become the substance that fills in these forms. The court order itself uses SCAO-approved language, but the level of detail in your agreement determines whether that order actually works in daily life.

What Makes the Difference Between a Good Plan and a Bad One

Courts in Wayne, Oakland, Kent, Macomb, and Washtenaw counties all apply the same 12 best-interest factors under MCL § 722.23 — but local FOC offices vary in how they handle enforcement and mediation. A good plan accounts for this by being self-enforcing: specific enough that both parents know exactly what's expected without needing to call the FOC every time a question comes up.

The Michigan Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide walks through each provision in detail, with worksheets for mapping out your schedule, calculating overnight totals, and documenting the arrangements courts expect. It's the preparation step that turns your intentions into an enforceable plan.

See more Michigan guides →