As you go through a divorce, you want to make things as easy as possible for your child. Unfortunately, this is often a tall order, considering how high tension can run between divorcing spouses.
Nesting, or bird nesting, serves as one potential option you can look into. This option allows your child to enjoy some stability while also keeping you and your co-parent from getting into tense situations.
How nesting works
Divorce Mag talks about nesting after divorce. The name borrows from birds, who leave their baby in the nest as they go about their business. Likewise, when you utilize nesting, your children will stay in the family home instead of getting cycled from house to house on a visitation schedule. Instead, you and your co-parent will cycle in and out of the house, taking shifts living there with your child.
How it benefits your child
This provides stability to your child because they do not have to worry about moving around or going to new, unfamiliar locations while also processing the reality of their new future. Any amount of pressure relief can help them process the situation with greater ease.
It also prevents you and your co-parent from having to co-exist before you are ready to do so. This benefits your child too because many adults who witnessed the divorce of their parents state that the arguments between the two left the biggest and most traumatic impact.
Nesting serves as a temporary solution while going through the divorce process. However, many parents – potentially including you – end up liking the arrangement enough that they make it permanent.