Provided that there is no history of substance abuse or violence on the part of either parent, the most common custodial arrangement following a divorce is co-parenting. This is because co-parenting is in the best interests of the child. Even if the parents are no longer married, children do best with both parents in their lives.
However, moving the children between two separate households can be very stressful. This is why some ex-couples are moving forward with nesting. According to Psychology Today, nesting is when the children stay in the same home and the parents cohabitate with the children based on the custody schedule.
Why should we consider nesting?
Nesting is particularly popular for families who reside in high cost of living areas. For many families, it is unlikely that a single parent would be able to maintain the original family home. In this instance, sometimes parents choose to keep the children in the same house and instead live with their own family members or friends when they are not “on duty” as a parent. This can make keeping the kids in the same school district and neighborhood feasible.
Nesting also means that all of the kids’ belongings will stay in the same house. There is less likelihood of a precious item or necessary medication getting lost in the shuffle between households if the children stay put.
Does nesting last forever?
Usually nesting is a temporary situation. However, depending upon your needs and wants, you can certainly keep a nesting situation up for as long as you like. Usually nesting is a stopgap while parents are rearranging their lives and schedules to accommodate the divorce.