Co-parenting can be one of the most challenging situations to navigate after a divorce. Managing a co-parenting situation requires excellent communication and great attention to detail. Moving children between multiple houses can be a major challenge for some parents.
In response to these challenges, some post-divorce families are creating nesting arrangements. A “nesting” custody arrangement is when the kids stay in the same house, and the parents move in and out of that house based upon the custody arrangement, much like birds fly in and out of the nest to tend to baby birds, as per Psychology Today.
How does nesting help?
Nesting is a good option for parents who are just starting the divorce process and want to disrupt their child’s life as little as possible. A nesting arrangement can give parents the space and flexibility they need to plan their lives after a divorce without disturbing the children until final arrangements are in place.
Nesting can also be good for families that live in expensive areas. In many cases, single parents will not be able to support a household in a high cost of living neighborhood. Nesting can allow families to stay in expensive areas so the kids can remain in the same school district with the same friends.
Is nesting a permanent arrangement?
In most cases, nesting is temporary. It is likely that one or both parents will want to establish a separate household at some point, but nesting is a good stopgap in the meantime. However, in some situations nesting can last for several years. It all depends on the needs of your family.
