Divorce can be very difficult emotionally, but it is also a challenging exercise in logistics. In the event that you and your ex-spouse have children, it is likely that you will be in a joint custody situation following your divorce.
Typically, the parents go on to set up their own separate households and it is the children who swap between houses according to the custody schedule. However, this situation is not best for all families. For this reason, according to Psychology Today, many families have turned to nesting, which puts the onus of movement on the parents, not the children.
What makes nesting different?
A nesting situation involves both parents continuing to maintain a family home. The children stay permanently in the family home, and the parents move in and out of the house as per the custody schedule.
The parents doing the moving is where the name “nesting” comes from. It mimics the movements of parent birds taking care of babies who stay in a single nest.
Who can benefit from nesting?
Nesting can help remove conflict related to having the children move frequently. For instance, older children often resist moving between parental households frequently. If you have children close to high school graduation, choosing to nest for this period of time can make the situation easier on everybody in the family.
Nesting can also benefit families who live in expensive areas. It is possible that neither you nor your ex-spouse will be able to maintain a household in an expensive area as a single-income family. In this case, choosing to nest can ensure that your children stay in the same neighborhood and the same school district.