Often, one of the most excruciating parts of finalizing the post-divorce situation is figuring out living arrangements if you have children. It is highly likely that you and your ex-spouse will end up with joint custody of any children after your divorce finishes. This means that you will share legal and physical custody of the children.
While having both parents as active caretakers is good for the children, it can make living situations difficult. This is why some parents are opting to try a “nesting” living arrangement for their post-divorce family, which involves the children staying in one home and not moving between them.
Where do the parents live?
With a nesting situation, one parent will live in the family home with the children at all times. What the other parent is doing at the time depends on how long the nesting situation will last. In shorter term nesting situations, it is not uncommon for the parent who is not in the family home to simply stay with other friends or family on a temporary basis.
In longer-term nesting situations, there are many different options. A popular one is for the parents to maintain a separate apartment. The parent who is not in the family home with the children will then stay in this maintained apartment.
What are the challenges?
In order for a nesting situation to work, both you and your ex-spouse must be on reasonably good terms. You will continue to maintain the family home, which means continuing to share bills, food expenses and other maintenance requirements. This is not a good arrangement for parents who cannot have a conversation without an argument.
