When you are settling a divorce with children in the picture, you need to consider your custody options carefully. One solution that is gaining popularity in recent years is nesting. This joint custody arrangement allows your child to stay in the family home while you and the other parent take turns living there.
Nesting has many benefits for divorcing couples and their children.
1. Stability for your children
One significant benefit of nesting is the stability it offers your children. Divorce disrupts their lives and their routines, which can lead to anxiety and uncertainty. Nesting allows children to stay in the home they know. They can stay in the school they know and continue with the extracurricular activities that they already enjoy. Staying in the family home also makes it easier for your children to preserve their relationships with neighborhood friends.
2. Improved communication
Nesting makes it easier for divorced parents to maintain communication. Sharing the same residence means that parents need to coordinate their schedules to provide a seamless transition for children. This requires a cooperative, open line of communication between the parents.
3. Financial savings
Another benefit of nesting is the cost savings associated with it. In many cases, maintaining the family home is more cost-effective than maintaining separate homes. This is particularly true when the family home carries no mortgage.
Nesting after divorce helps children adapt to the transition without the challenges associated with moving between houses. It also facilitates more cooperative co-parenting. In fact, research indicates that joint custody agreements such as nesting reduce the risk of domestic violence events in divorce by as much as 10% for couples with equal custodial time.