Particularly in the beginning stages of divorce, everything seems very disoriented. After all, you have finally decided to separate from the person who you ostensibly planned to spend the rest of your life with. This can be traumatic on several levels.
In the event that you have children, this period is extremely stressful. According to NBC, “birdnesting” can be a solution to your living situation during the beginning stages of divorce, as it offers parents the space they need from each other while keeping the children in the family home.
The basics of birdnesting
“Birdnesting” is the inverse of what most people imagine when thinking about “co-parenting.” In the traditional scenario, the children move back and forth between parental homes at established times. With birdnesting, the children stay in the same home and the parents rotate in and out.
This is particularly useful at the beginning of a divorce, as it is likely that you and your ex will need time to solidify future plans. It also provides maximum stability to the children. For birdnesting situations that extend for a prolonged period, it is not uncommon for parents to rent a studio apartment where the “off-duty” parent stays.
Does birdnesting work long-term?
For most families, birdnesting is best as a temporary situation. For most, financially maintaining the family home in addition to separate houses is too much, and most parents are going to want to establish their own, independent households. Most experts recommend that birdnesting not last longer than 6 months.
Birdnesting is usually not forever, but it provides a number of benefits to children and parents during the initial stages of divorce.
