Divorce is never easy, and when there are children are involved, making decisions about custody and child support can drag on and grow contentious. Unfortunately, it is those very efforts by well-meaning parents to work out differences while negotiating the many aspects of divorce that end up drawing the children into the fray, sometimes leaving them confused and uncertain even after divorce is final.
For parents who wish to keep their children as their top priority during and after divorce, there is a growing movement toward divorce nesting in California. While this option is not suitable for every couple or situation, it is worth examining for parents who are open to co-parenting and who wish to minimize the impact that divorce will have on the children.
Bird nest parenting for divorce
In this type of co-parenting arrangement, the parents keep and maintain the family home while the children live there fulltime. It is the parents who take turns living in the home when it is their parenting time, while they maintain another living space, such as an apartment or condo, for the other parent to stay in when not with the children.
While this may seem to be a fairly straight-forward arrangement, the parents will still need to draw up a parenting plan that clearly identifies schedules, living arrangements throughout the year, parenting time for holidays or special weekends and how expenses are divided.
The advantages, first
From a financial and emotional standpoint, the advantages are huge for this kind of co-parenting plan. It is especially ideal for tweens and teens, the age group that often feels the negative impact of divorce most palpably, and who often manifest their strong feelings of embarrassment, low self-esteem or resentment by withdrawing socially or neglecting their schoolwork or friends. This is also a good option for couples who may not quite be ready to go on.
Financially, divorce nesting eliminates the usually stress and squabbles of certain aspects of property division, such as selling the family home or deciding which parent will remain in the house. Sharing the cost of renting or buying another place also saves on the usual maintenance of two separate households.
The disadvantages
Some people prefer a clean break when they divorce, and splitting marital assets evenly during property division or selling the family home provides this opportunity. When there is continued co-habitation and shared financial obligations, this can create tension and even more problems than if the spouses were to just go their separate ways. For couples going through divorce in Manhattan Beach, it can help to look for options on what is best for their unique situation.
