Divorce can be a stressful and traumatic experience for young children. Research shows that children, particularly those between the ages of 3 and 11, are more likely to experience feelings of disbelief, distress, and anxiety when their parents decide to go through a divorce.
As a parent, there are many things you can do to minimize the impact of your divorce on your children. One of the viable alternatives to consider is nesting (also known as birdnesting). This is a living arrangement wherein you and the other co-parent can take turns to live in the marital home, so that your children are not required to move anywhere.
If you are planning to file for divorce and believe that a nesting arrangement might be the right choice for you, the experienced Massachusetts divorce attorney Jay Davis at Davis Law Group can explain the legal and financial consequences of a nesting arrangement and help you make an informed decision, which is in yours as well as your children’s best interest.
How Does Nesting Work?
Nesting is an arrangement which allows your children to live in the family home after divorce. You and the other parent can take turns to live in the home and take care of your children. In order to make it work, each parent needs to have their own place, where they can live in when they are not living with their children in the family home.
What are the Benefits of Nesting?
There are many reasons why a nesting arrangement can make it easier for your children to cope with your divorce.
It Can Provide a Better Sense of Security
Living in the same home can give your children a sense of stability and security. They can continue to go to the same school, spend time with the same friends, and live in familiar surroundings — all of which can make it easier for your children to deal with your divorce.
It Can Show Your Children How Much They Mean to You
A birdnesting arrangement shows that you and the other parent are willing to put aside your differences and work together for the well-being of your children. It shows that you are committed to putting the children’s interests first. It can prevent your children from feeling alienated, as they know how much they mean to you.
It Can Make Co-Parenting Easier
Under a birdnesting arrangement, you and the other parent get to spend an equal amount of time with the children, which can make it easier for you to divide parenting responsibilities between yourselves. A nesting plan can also make it easier for you as well as the other parent to spend quality time with the children, take them to school, help them with homework, and be with your children when they achieve their goals and reach new milestones.
It Can Help You Save Money
Choosing a nesting arrangement means you can afford to rent a smaller place, which can reduce your living expenses significantly. It can also give you more time to think about whether you should keep or sell the family home. You can talk to each other, decide the right course of action, and choose to do it at the right time — so that you can benefit financially and otherwise.
Child custody and visitation can be a hot-button issue in a divorce, so it’s vital to consult with a diligent family law attorney before you make any decision. The Massachusetts family law attorney Jay Davis has decades of experience in handling divorce, child custody, and visitation issues and can help you create a nesting plan which is ideally suited for your needs and protects your children’s interests.
Nesting in a Massachusetts Divorce — Factors to Consider
- The financial aspects involved in a birdnesting arrangement — from paying utility bills to paying for repair and maintenance and deducting mortgage interest — can lead to unnecessary quarrels between you and the other parent. This is something you need to discuss with the other parent before you make a nesting plan.
- You as well as the other parent should be willing to live in nesting arrangement until your children are mature enough to understand that you and the other parent have separated.
- What happens if you or the other parent start a new relationship or get married again? Would you still be able to continue with the nesting plan? This is a possibility you should consider before making a nesting plan.
Get Legal Help from the Most Trusted and Experienced Family Law Attorneys in Massachusetts
At Davis Law Group, we know how tough divorce can be on young children. If you have young children and are worried about the impact your divorce might have on them, we can take steps to minimize conflicts between you and your spouse. Our dedicated legal team can help you create a co-parenting plan which is in the best interest of all the parties involved — particularly your children.
To talk to the seasoned Massachusetts family law attorney Jay Davis about a nesting arrangement, call us today at (617) 752-6216 or contact us online and schedule a free consultation.
The post Nesting in an MA Divorce: When Co-Parents Rotate In and Out of the Marital Home first appeared on Davis Law Group.