Nesting refers to a parenting arrangement in which children stay in the same family home, while the parents take turns living there with them. The idea behind nesting is to minimize the disruptions to the children’s lives and provide them with a sense of stability, as they continue to live in the same house and have access to their familiar belongings and routines.
Nesting is often used as an alternative to traditional custody arrangements, in which children split their time between two separate homes. This can be especially beneficial for young children, who may have a hard time adjusting to the back-and-forth of a traditional custody arrangement.
Ways nesting can work
There are several different ways that a nesting arrangement can be structured. In some cases, the parents may take turns living in the family home on a week-to-week or month-to-month basis. In other cases, one parent may live in the home full-time, while the other parent lives in a separate residence.
Challenges with nesting
There are some potential challenges to a nesting arrangement. For example, it can be difficult for the parents to coordinate their schedules and ensure that the children have everything they need while they are living in the family home. It can also be challenging for the parents to maintain separate living spaces, as they may need to have two sets of furniture and household items.
Despite these challenges, many families find that nesting is a helpful solution for co-parenting after a divorce or separation. It can give children continuity in their daily lives while allowing parents to live independently.
A viable custody option
Nesting can be a helpful solution for co-parenting after a divorce or separation, as it allows children to have continuity in their daily lives and can minimize disruptions to their routines. However, it can also be challenging for the parents to coordinate their schedules and maintain separate living spaces. By keeping your children’s needs at heart and accounting for both parents’ schedules, a viable nesting agreement can be reached.