The most common form of child custody after a divorce is co-parenting. This is because, even if the parents are not married, children do best if both parents are equally involved in their lives.
However, co-parenting presents a number of problems. One of the more common issues involves shuttling the children between two different households. Some divorced families are coping with this problem by choosing a nesting arrangement. According to Psychology Today, nesting is when the children stay in one residence and the parents rotate in and out depending on the details of the custody agreement.
Why would families choose this?
Nesting is a good way to keep a child’s life as stable as possible through the process of divorce. Particularly if the parents have not come up with a solid post-divorce living arrangement, rotating in and out of the house allows the child stability and gives the parents time.
Additionally, sometimes a nesting arrangement is the only way to keep children in the same neighborhood, particularly if the neighborhood has a high cost of living. Many families choose nesting to keep the children in the same school district with the same friends.
Where do the parents live?
This depends on the particular nesting arrangement. In some cases, parents may choose to live with their families or friends when they are not on-duty at the parental home.
In the majority of cases, nesting is a semi-permanent arrangement. Most of the time, parents want to establish their own separate household at some point. However, you can customize nesting to your particular situation. We can help you understand your custody situation so you can make the best living decisions for your family.
