If you worry your children may not adjust well to your divorce, you may want to consider a new approach to co-parenting. With nesting, you and your children’s co-parent rotate into and out of the family home at the beginnings and ends of your scheduled parenting times. Your children, though, always reside in the family home.
While nesting is not appropriate for every family, it may be an effective way to give your kids some stability after your divorce. If you and your ex-spouse want to try nesting, employing three strategies may boost your chances of success.
1. Draft a nesting agreement
During your divorce, you probably devoted substantial time to negotiating a custody agreement or parenting plan. You may want to apply that same focus and energy to drafting a nesting agreement. Formalizing each parent’s rights and responsibilities may help you minimize conflict during your nesting arrangement.
2. Set an end date
While some co-parents nest until their children become adults, you do not have to do so. If you have trepidation about nesting, setting an end date may put your mind at ease. Of course, if you find nesting is working well for your family, you can always negotiate an extension.
3. Communicate with your ex-spouse
Because you and your ex-spouse must share the family home, you are likely to have regular issues you must each address. Communicating openly, honestly and promptly with your children’s co-parent may keep your nesting arrangement from falling apart.
After your divorce, you want to be certain you and your ex-spouse are meeting the needs of your kids. If nesting is in your future, simply making a good faith effort at nesting may help you accomplish this goal.
