About the only thing more difficult than going through a divorce is rebuilding your life after the divorce is over. Particularly if you and your ex-spouse have children together, it is likely that you will need to share custody with him or her. This can make creating post-divorce living arrangements very challenging.
Moving children between two separate parental households has many logistical issues associated with it. Therefore, some families are experimenting with unorthodox ways of living. One living arrangement gaining popularity with divorced American couples who have children is nesting.
What is different about nesting?
Traditionally, after the divorce the parents will set up separate living situations that are within a reasonable commuting distance from each other. Thereafter, the parents will move the children between the houses according to whatever the custody arrangement is.
With nesting, the parents do the moving instead of the children. The children reside permanently in the family home, and it is the parents who do the moving in and out according to the custody arrangement.
Who can this help?
Nesting can solve a lot of interpersonal problems after divorce. For example, many older children resist moving back and forth between parental households frequently. Nesting allows the children to stay in the same place. The same logic applies to children with special needs. It may be dangerous to move children who require medical equipment or certain medicines frequently.
Nesting may also be the only realistic way to keep your children in specific public school districts, particularly if your family lives in an expensive area. If you and your ex-spouse will not be able to maintain an address in an expensive area as singletons, nesting may be your best option.
