It is very common for parents to hold joint custody of children after a divorce. Joint custody is very popular in modern family law, because it holds many benefits for the children. Even if the parents divorce, having both parents actively raising the children is important.
However, co-parenting can be very challenging. One of the most common challenges is moving children between two separate homes. In response to this, some divorcing families have opted for a nesting living situation. Nesting is when the parents rotate in and out of the home and the kids stay in one place, as per Psychology Today.
Who is nesting right for?
Nesting is often an agreeable first step for a family beginning the process of divorce. Particularly if the parents do not have alternative living situations arranged, nesting allows the divorcing couple an adequate amount of space while not unduly disrupting the lives of the children.
Some families choose to continue with nesting for financial reasons. Particularly if the family resides in an expensive area, it is possible that the parents will not be able to maintain single households in that neighborhood. This would mean that the kids would have to go to a separate school district and potentially make new friends.
Who is nesting not right for?
Any co-parenting situation requires good communication between the parents. A nesting situation, however, requires even better communication skills. Particularly since you will still be sharing a living situation with your soon-to-be ex-spouse, the communication has to be professional and succinct. Nesting is not good for parents who have serious communication barriers.
