Something you and your spouse have talked about during divorce is the potential for using nesting to keep your child in the family home. You both make enough money to support your own apartments outside your original family home, so you can keep it and simply switch back and forth on the days you have custody.
Nesting can be a great way to reduce the challenges children face after divorce. They won’t have to remember a custody schedule or move to a new home. However, you need to be cautious if you want nesting to work.
Even if you and your spouse are still friends, nesting can be difficult if you get into a new relationship or remarry. That’s why you need to make strict rules for the process and set up a point when it’s best to move your child to a traditional custody schedule.
What are some good rules for nesting after divorce?
One good idea is to set boundaries with nesting early on. Who can or cannot come to the home with you? Some parents make it so that no girlfriends or boyfriends can come to the property unless the other parent approves. This reduces the number of people meeting your child and entering a shared property.
Another smart idea is to set a point when you would sell the property or stop using the nesting schedule, like if you remarry or your child reaches an age where they’re comfortable traveling between homes.
Nesting isn’t for everyone, but parents who talk about guidelines and boundaries early on can make it work. Your attorney can help you set up a nesting schedule if you’re interested in doing so.
