HOW CAN I MAKE NESTING WORK?

When prioritizing your children during a divorce is your goal, you may need some time to figure out permanent custody arrangements. You may be considering nesting so your children can remain in the family home in Connecticut while you and your ex take turns moving out.

According to Psychology Today, here are some ways to best execute the nesting concept.

Understand that it provides security

While children are resilient, giving them as much stability as possible allows them to acclimate to the many changes that divorce brings. If your children continue to live in their home, they do not have to adjust to a new space and sometimes even a new town. This also means that all of their clothing, school supplies and belongings are in the same place, giving them one less change to contend with. Although nesting might be a temporary solution, giving your children this additional time to adapt to the new family structure may make a huge difference in the long term.

Comprehend that it requires flexibility

Since you and your ex would be the parties switching residences, nesting requires flexibility on the part of the adults in the family. Should you jointly agree to make this work, you need to ascertain the best concept for your individual household. If you financially cannot afford two additional homes, this might mean sharing an off-premises apartment during the time that you are not with the children. Nesting also means that it may take you some time before you can move forward with your life.

Recognize that it necessitates communication

The best way to make nesting work for your family is to maintain mutual respect and good communication with your former partner. Avoiding conflict as much as possible bolsters your nesting arrangement and helps maintain familial harmony. One way to avoid unpleasant situations is to thoughtfully draw up a nesting agreement that identifies how to resolve expected issues.