Assuming that there is no interpersonal or substance abuse present in your home, it is highly likely that you will share your children with your spouse in joint custody following your divorce. This presents problems for most families, and deciding where to live is often chief among them.
For this reason, families of all income levels have been experimenting with “nesting.” According to Psychology Today, nesting is a version of joint custody that involves keeping the children in a single living situation while the parents move in and out of the family home.
Who benefits most from nesting?
Nesting benefits families who are on reasonably good terms with each other and wish to work in tandem for the benefit of all. Many families decide that a semi-permanent nesting situation is the best for them until the children leave the home. Keeping the children in one living arrangement provides a high level of stability and maybe the best way to support your family through the divorce.
Many families decide to nest as a temporary measure. Nesting allows the parents space from each other while they plan the next steps. Some families decide to keep the family home until the parents are able to locate and set up new houses. This makes the transition period easier for everybody.
Where do the parents live?
The core idea behind nesting has one parent “on duty” in the family home. Where the other parent lives are subject to circumstance. In longer-term nesting situations, sometimes the family elects to rent or purchase a separate condo or apartment for the “off-duty” parent to live in. In less-permanent situations, the “off-duty” parent may decide to stay with family or friends when not in the family home.