Divorce often requires adjustments to minor children’s daily living arrangements. They may have to travel between different locations, which can give rise to feelings of displacement and insecurity.
The disruption of frequent moving and the time and effort needed to pack and travel can also affect academic and extracurricular performance. The time right after a divorce can be mentally and emotionally difficult for children, but there are ways to help ease them through it, including nesting.
What is nesting?
The children remain in the family home while the divorced parents take turns living there instead of shuttling the children between two separate residences. Nesting provides a stable and familiar environment for children to adjust to their new situation. The arrangement also allows them to more easily maintain their normal routine.
What are some nesting considerations?
While nesting can help children by providing a sense of stability, it is not necessarily right for everyone. There are financial concerns; parents may not be able to sustain three households, one for each one when not staying with the children and the family home. Parents who need to move a lot for work or plan to move in the near future may also not be able to support a nesting lifestyle. The children’s ages are another consideration. Older children may not need what nesting offers as much as younger ones, and they may be closer to moving out to start their own lives. If the children are younger, parents must consider how viable nesting is in the long term.
According to Healthline, children of divorce may experience anger, social withdrawal, mental regression, depression, social withdrawal and other issues. Nesting can help mitigate some of the impact of divorce, but it is important for each family to consider whether it suits them based on their circumstances.