Sometimes, divorce solutions require thinking outside of the box. When it comes to parenting time for your minor children, it can be hard to find a good compromise that works well for all concerned.
One option to consider might be “bird’s nest” parenting time.
What this is (and why you might use it)
The phrase “nesting parenting time” derives from the way both birds tend to the needs of their young from the same nest, flying in and out as needed. In the same way, it is the parents who transition in and out of the family home when it’s their turn to exercise parenting time with their kids.
This can be particularly useful for families where the transition would be too challenging or distressful for the children. Younger children and kids with special needs might struggle to adapt to a near-constantly changing environment to accommodate parenting time with both mom and dad. With special needs children, the prohibitive costs of duplicating the equipment and medical supplies necessary to care for the children may factor in as well.
These parenting time arrangements can also work if it is a bad time to put the family home up for sale on the market because repairs are needed or the market is sluggish and one or both parents cannot secure temporary housing until the house is sold.
There are drawbacks to this style of parenting
Nesting parenting time only works if there is an ongoing spirit of civil cooperation between the parents. Since both parents separately share the same living space when exercising their parenting time, if one partner moves on romantically, it can become awkward.
This arrangement can also be too expensive since it’s likely the parents will support three households — a “his, mine and ours” situation. However, if the parents separately share the same living space during the time they are not with the kids, this may reduce the financial strain.