Most people want to do what’s best for their children when they decide to get a divorce. What’s best for their children, in their minds, may be to stay in the marital home. It’s the place the child feels most comfortable, and it’s easier to keep a child in one place than to make him or her move between two.
In Hollywood, some couples are opting to share a home in a trend nicknamed “bird nesting.” Bird nesting is when divorced parents live in the same home at different times. Instead of sending a child to live in a different place, the parents simply take turns living in the home.
For some, this works well. It is particularly good for couples who travel for work or who have alternating schedules where they won’t run into days where they’re living in the home together. This arrangement isn’t for everyone, though.
Although there is the advantage that you don’t have to move your child, it does mean that you and your ex-spouse have to maintain at least one other home. Some choose to nest for reasons other than their children, like the fact that the property’s value may increase over time.
Nesting arrangements usually work best when they’re only for a short time. For others, a long-term plan might work well, but only if they’re able to co-parent amicably and can be transparent with each other and their children. This could be a good option for your family, or you may want to explore other options. Your attorney can give you more information if this is a trend you’re interested in.
Source: CNBC, “This hot Hollywood divorce trend may not be for you,” Lorie Konish, April 16, 2018
