Are you a parent going through a divorce who is having a tough time coming up with a custody schedule for your children? Maybe you and your spouse are still on amicable terms. You’re certainly able to work together and compromise.
But the problem is that none of the plans look ideal for the children. Maybe they would spend too much time in the car, for instance, or maybe they simply don’t want to move out of the house that they’re so comfortable in. Maybe they want to stay near the same school or near their friends and neighbors. What options do you have?
How things are different with birdnesting
One potential option to consider is called birdnesting. This is when you allow the children to stay in the house. You and your spouse then jointly own that home. When your ex has custody, they move in and you move out. When you have custody, you move back in and they live somewhere else.
There are complications to this setup. Perhaps the most difficult part is that you and your ex will have to see each other frequently and coordinate things like paying property taxes, cleaning around the home, taking out the garbage, keeping up with maintenance and repairs and much more. But if you are on good terms and you believe you can do this, it may be the best option for the children, even if you only do it temporarily.
Exploring your options
If nothing else, birdnesting at least shows you that you do have many unconventional options to consider. Think about them carefully while moving forward with your divorce.
