The most common custody arrangement after divorce is co-parenting. This is the most popular choice because having both parents involved with raising a child is in the best interest of the child.
However, the logistics of co-parenting can be challenging. This is why more and more divorced families have chosen nesting. According to Psychology Today, nesting is when the children stay in one primary residence and the adults rotate in and out based on the parenting arrangement.
Why should we consider nesting?
Nesting is a good choice for families who want to make the transition from married to divorced life as smooth for the children as possible. Nesting is generally a good arrangement while the parents are deciding what they will do with the house and where they will live after the divorce.
In some situations, particularly in high cost of living areas where parents would not be able to financially maintain independent homes, the only way to keep the children in the same school district is to choose nesting.
Where do the parents live when they are not in the house?
Of course, each family has their own arrangement for this. In some situations, parents may live with family members or friends when they are not on-duty at the family house. In some other situations the parents may decide to keep an off-duty apartment for the parent that is not residing in the house at the moment.
It is worth noting that most nesting arrangements are temporary. Generally, the adults wish to establish their own separate households at some point. However, some nesting arrangements will last several years to allow the children to graduate from school.