After a divorce where children are involved, being good co-parents is every couple’s goal. There are many methods of co-parenting to choose from. Continue reading to learn about the ins and outs of nesting arrangements and speak with a Memphis, Tennessee family law attorney for legal counsel and advice.
What is a Nesting Arrangement?
When a family decides to implement a nesting arrangement, the child or children remain living in the family home and the parents switch off. Each parent can find their own place or they can share the additional dwelling as well. When it is one parent’s turn with the children they will stay at the family home and the other will stay at the secondary residence. Then they will switch off as needed.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Nesting Arrangements?
There are pros and cons of nesting arrangements. It will not work for every family, but if the pros outweigh the cons for you then it might be worth giving it a try. The following is a list of advantages and disadvantages to a nesting arrangement.
Advantages:
- It provides the children with stability
- Divorce can be potentially damaging to developing children in many ways. When parents get divorced, the children’s lives are turned upside down. They are moved out of their home, do not see their parents the same amount that they used to, might have to change schools, etc. A bulk of the stress and confusion can be avoided by allowing the children to remain in a familiar environment while they adjust to their new custody schedule.
- You do not have to sell the family home
- It can be stressful to put your house on the market and deal with the details of the sale while you are going through a divorce. A nesting arrangement means you do not have to feel the pressure of listing and selling right away.
- The parents’ new place might not be big enough
- Many divorced parents wind up renting an apartment or downsizing in some way. They might not have the space in their new home to comfortably fit everyone along with their belongings, especially if they have multiple children. Staying in the family home is a great way to avoid feeling cramped in a new space.
- The parents will become better co-parents
- This arrangement forces parents to communicate with each other regularly. They still share a home and kids so they will need to discuss everyone’s school and sports schedules, what needs to be done around the house, maintenance issues, finances, etc. It can allow them to learn how to effectively communicate and co-parent.
Disadvantages:
- The parents might not get along
- When you are fresh out of a divorce it can be difficult to behave in the cooperative manner that a nesting arrangement requires.
- It can be more expensive
- Maintaining a home plus one or two additional residences can add up and become a financial burden in the long run.
- Awkward situations may arise
- Shared spaces between divorced couples are bound to create uncomfortable situations if either parent begins dating or one does something that the other disagrees with or deems inappropriate
