When you and your spouse decided that a divorce was the right route for your relationship to take, you also realized how this could impact your children. One of the things you’ve been seeing more of is people talking about nesting. Nesting, which would require you to keep your children in the family home and to switch in and out of the home with your ex-spouse as you have custody time, would minimize the stress to your children as the home would stay completely the same.
Could this work for you? It may, but there are some considerations to keep in mind.
Choosing nesting: Are you on good terms?
If you are thinking about nesting in your current primary residence, the first thing to ask is if you’re on good terms with your ex. If you are, then it may be reasonable to consider nesting.
With nesting, you will see your ex each and every time you move back into or out of the house. The custody exchange still happens, it’s just that you and your ex will be the ones switching spots instead of your children.
Can you afford nesting?
Another thing to consider is the cost of nesting. You need to cover the cost of the family residence as well as the cost of another place to live. If you’re in a situation where you can live in a mother-in-law suite while the other parent lives on a different part of the property, then that could work. Similarly, if you have enough financial support to rent an apartment or buy a second house, then nesting may be an option that you could consider.
Bird nesting is a good way to help support your children through at least the initial stages of life after your divorce. You may find that it works well for you, or you could decide to try it just until your children are old enough to be able to manage a traditional custody schedule. You and your ex-spouse know your children and what would make them most comfortable, so consider nesting if you think that’s a possibility at least for the short-term.
