When parents divorce, a huge issue is parenting time. Both parents want to maximize their time with the children. It is only natural because you are going from seeing your children every day to some sort of co-parenting plan where you share custody with your spouse. It can be traumatic for both the parents and the children. Plus, shuttling your children back and forth can reduce the amount of quality time you can spend with your children, not to mention the amount of wasted time packing up your children and planning travel. This is why many Springfield, Illinois, parents elect to nest.
Nest?
The term, nest, also known as nesting or birdnesting, refers to the practice of maintaining your child’s life as it is now, pre-divorce. The parents are the ones who shuttle in and out of the child’s life, rather than the opposite as is the case in most co-parenting plans. Usually, this means keeping the family home, the child stays in the same school, keeps the same circle of friends and nothing really changes for the child during the divorce process.
Child benefits
For the child, the benefits are obvious. Their life remains unchanged, which means they are free to deal with the emotional effects of the divorce without the accompanying life-altering effects of the divorce. And, when combined with therapy or counseling, many of the negative impacts of a divorce can be mitigated or eliminated.
Parental benefits
For Springfield, Illinois, parents, the benefits are time and money. You do not have to waste time getting your child ready to travel to and from each parent’s home and take that time to travel. When your parenting time starts, 100% of that time is spent with your child. And, since you are cost sharing all your child’s expenses, you save money.
Plus, nesting parents often share their non-parenting time residence to further save money. For example, they share an apartment, since they only need it when it is not their time to parent, which will coincide with the other parent’s parenting time.
Not perfect for all couples
Nesting can be wonderful for many couples, but it is not perfect for all couples. You need to have good communication skills with your soon-to-be ex-spouse, and you must get along, especially if you plan to share an off-property home. But, for those couples who can stay amicable, it really does provide a much better Springfield, Illinois, divorce experience.