Quality Over Quantity: Building Meaningful Parenting Time After Separation

There is strong evidence to support the idea that children benefit greatly when both parents are positively involved and spend quality time with them. This is why some of the most contentious issues in family law revolve around decision-making and parenting time.

It’s Not Just About Time — It’s About Experience

However, research suggests that it’s not merely the amount of time spent with a parent that leads to positive outcomes—it’s the quality of the experiences shared. Courts and experts increasingly recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all parenting model. The idea that a 50/50 or 60/40 split is automatically best for every child is not supported by evidence.

Instead, the focus is shifting to what arrangement will create the most meaningful and positive experiences for the child, which must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

What the Statistics Tell Us

According to a 2017 Statistics Canada survey, 53% of parents shared custody of their children with an ex-spouse or partner, while 34% had sole custody. In 2019, nearly half (44%) of children with separated or divorced parents regularly saw the parent they didn’t live with.

Interestingly, age plays a role in visitation patterns—only 38% of teens aged 13 to 17 visited the non-residential parent regularly, compared to 54% of children under five.

Creating a Parenting Schedule That Works

When settling a parenting schedule, the question isn’t just how much time the children will spend with each parent, but what they will be doing during that time.

For example, if one parent is more available to take the children to their extracurricular activities like dance or karate, it might make sense for the children to stay with that parent on those nights. If both parents are equally available, then alternating or sharing the responsibilities may work best.

Tools That Can Help

Parents don’t have to navigate this alone. There are useful tools and resources available to help design a parenting schedule that puts children’s best interests first.

For instance, FamilyCounsel.ca offers a free parenting time calculator that has even been referenced in court proceedings. This tool allows parents to break down weekly schedules into 15-minute increments, allowing for highly customized time-sharing arrangements that reflect both structure and flexibility.

If you are in the process of determining a parenting schedule or revisiting an existing one, our family law lawyers are here to support you. Every family is unique, and we are committed to helping you create a plan that works for your children and supports their well-being at every stage.

At Mills & Mills LLP, our lawyers regularly help clients with a wide range of legal matters including business law, real estate law, estate law, employment law, health law, and tax law. For over 140 years, we have earned a reputation amongst our peers and clients for quality of service and breadth of knowledge. Contact us online or at (416) 863-0125. The material provided through the Mills & Mills LLP website is for general information purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal advice or opinions of any kind.

Author

Areesha Zubair

Areesha joined Mills & Mills LLP in 2023 as an Associate in the Family Law group. Areesha has exclusively practiced in family law since 2013 and has appeared before most levels of court including the Ontario Court of Justice, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Divisional Court and the Ontario Court of Appeal. Areesha’s diverse family law experience includes working with high net-worth clients, matters involving public figures, as well as complex parenting issues. When urgency is paramount, Areesha navigates legal regulations and court procedures to swiftly address critical matters, such as asset depletion or restricted parenting time. In otherwise delicate matters, she helps resolve matters amicably. Areesha assists with cohabitation, marriage and separation agreements as well.