As a parent going through divorce, you may have heard of the term bird nesting before. This form of co-parenting takes from birds, allowing the child to stay permanently in the family home while both parents cycle in and out of the house.
While bird nesting has many proven benefits, can it actually help out every family? Will it work for every unique situation?
What if a parent is unfit?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Divorce Mag discusses the benefits of nesting, which many enjoy. First, it allows for your child to maintain the stability of living in their home, which can give them something to hold onto in an otherwise tumultuous time of their life. Second, it can give co-parents the space they need to heal before trying other, more cooperative methods of co-parenting.
However, this option will not work for every family. For one, it does not work in situations involving the possibility of abuse or if your ex-spouse is simply unfit for parenting. In these cases, you do not want to give them time alone with your child and should instead consider emergency sole custody.
Confinements of your financial situation
It may not work depending on your financial situation, too. Since you and your co-parent cannot live at the primary house at the same time, you will both need secondary locations to stay during your “off days”. Some cannot afford extra accommodations and do not have any friends or family around who can help with living arrangements even in the short term.
Before making this important decision, you must weigh all of the potential positives and negatives. From there, you can make a decision you will feel satisfied with.