Co-parents who hear about nesting might feel like it will serve a great purpose in their lives. After all, nesting comes along with major benefits such as providing more stability and comfort to children of divorce.
But nesting also comes along with some potential drawbacks and hurdles. It does not work for every family, and it is important for all families to understand this.
How does nesting work?
Psychology Today examines bird’s nest co-parenting arrangements among modern divorcees. Bird nesting works by allowing the child to remain in the family home. Instead of forcing them to travel back and forward between their parent’s homes – and act that often causes children additional stress – they can maintain the comfort of a familiar space.
Instead, the parents will cycle in and out of the house much in the way adult birds will visit their baby bird in the nest. But this arrangement comes with one big hurdle first: the need for additional living accommodations.
Covering for extra housing
If neither parent stays in the house full-time, both will need extra housing to stay during their “off days”. Some parents choose to room temporarily with friends or family. Others choose to live out of a hostel, a motel, or another temporary living dwelling. Some have the money to afford renting a second place, like a studio apartment. Those who cannot find secondary dwellings may not make nesting work.
Likewise, nesting requires a level of trust and communication between parents. If a parent does not trust their ex-spouse to treat the family home well, or does not trust them to care for the child for days at a time, then it might be better to look into another option. But if these do not pose issues, then nesting might be a great solution.