An impending divorce is tough on your entire family but if you have children, you want to uproot their lives and routines as little as possible. Birdnesting is a co-parenting concept where the children remain in the family home and the parents switch households periodically based on custody and visitation orders.
Psychologists and judges approve of child-centric techniques like birdnesting because they focus on the physical and emotional needs of children during a difficult transition period in their lives.
Benefits
Birdnesting works best when parents are amicable and effective at managing a co-parenting relationship during and after divorce. While it may not be a perfect long-term solution for every family, some of the benefits include:
- Allowing your child to remain in the same home, school and community with little change to their daily lives
- Eliminating the need to transport your child between homes
- Saving money by not having to establish two complete child-friendly households
Disadvantages
While birdnesting is often the best situation for minor family members, it can be a significant expense and sacrifice for parents. Some of the challenges include:
- Sharing the family home (and possibly a separate dwelling) with your ex
- Spending money to maintain one or two additional houses or apartments
- Trusting your ex to follow the house rules while staying with the children
- Navigating new relationships while maintaining a non-traditional co-parenting plan
It is important to understand your rights under Indiana family law if you are working to create an effective co-parenting plan with your former spouse.