Divorce can be rough on everyone involved, but your children might feel especially powerless if you don’t take active steps to ensure they feel secure. Nesting is one technique that parents use to ensure that their children can maintain as many routines and an overall sense of familiarity that will provide them with the security that they need to thrive.
How does nesting work?
Figuring out a child custody living situation that will benefit your children can be challenging when going through a divorce. Nesting is a type of living arrangement that parents going through a divorce will use to give the children the same home they’re accustomed to without sharing that space with their ex. With this arrangement, the children stay in the family home, and the parents move in and out of the home on a regular schedule. When one parent is off-duty with the children, they can stay elsewhere, perhaps in an apartment or with family members. Some exes even choose to share the apartment they use for their off-duty time if money is tight. This living arrangement can go on for an extended time, or you can keep it in place until a milestone, such as the divorce’s finalization or the school year’s end.
How to make shared custody work
Sharing custody of your children can work out well for many people, and there are a few things that you can do to make it work even better. First, you must be flexible because schedules change, and everyone involved’s needs can shift quickly. Additionally, you should work on developing a good co-parenting relationship with your ex. Some exes can talk civilly and productively in person, and others will need to use written forms of communication, such as texting, to create a workable co-parenting scenario.
If you want to make the transition to divorce easier on your children, putting their needs high on the priority list is a must, and nesting is one way to make the transition more seamless.
