Is bird’s nest custody an option after your divorce?

Ironing out all the issues in a divorce can be tricky. Sometimes it pays to think outside of the box when it comes to devising the best custody arrangements for your family. One option to consider is bird’s nest parenting.

You may have heard of this type of custody where it’s the co-parents who shuttle into and out of the family home. Because these arrangements cause the least disruption to a child’s environment.

Why it might work for you

If you have a child on the spectrum or who requires customized, costly medical equipment and assistive devices, it can be cost-prohibitive to duplicate it in both co-parents’ homes. It can also work when uprooting the kids would mean leaving behind neighborhood friends or changing schools.

It can be a viable option when it’s not the right time to put the house on the market. While it’s been a sellers’ market recently, the rising interest rates and inflation have already slowed the market,

Why it doesn’t work with everybody

You will still be sharing a living space with your ex. They just won’t be there at the same time as you are. If the two of you squabbled over home repairs and housekeeping during the marriage, those same issues will continue to arise.

You also need to plan how to handle the custody arrangements if/when either of you gets into another serious relationship. There are financial issues as well. Can the two of you afford three homes (one for the kids, one for each of you)? You may want to look into sharing space with a roommate during the times you’re without the kids or splitting the cost of an apartment between you.

Choose arrangements the work for everyone

A judge will never order bird’s nest parenting, so both co-parents have to be on board for the judge to sign off on this unconventional custody arrangement.