After a divorce, New Jersey parents have different custody options to consider. One of them is nesting, which allows the child to remain in the family home while the parents alternate their time there. While this arrangement might seem ideal, there are both pros and cons associated with it.
Pros of nesting
The biggest pro of nesting is that when parents share child custody, the child can stay in the home they’ve known and loved. They don’t have to get accustomed to switching back and forth between two homes, which gives them a better sense of familiarity and security.
Another notable benefit of nesting is that the parents get to save money by keeping the family home and sharing a rental nearby. When one parent has their parenting time, they live at the house while the other stays at the apartment; when it’s the other parent’s turn, they switch living quarters.
Cons of nesting
Unfortunately, nesting also carries some disadvantages for both children and parents. If your divorce was not on the best terms, fights can occur and your child can witness them if they take place while you and your former spouse switch turns at the family home. Issues might arise because you both still own the home and disagree about who should pay certain bills.
There are other potential downsides to nesting. Only one person gets to deduct expenses from the marital home on their tax returns. You might even run into disagreements about child support because you’re both splitting your time in the family home while raising your children.
Nesting could make it harder to separate emotionally in spite of your divorce. You may also have trouble moving on in your personal life. For example, it can be difficult to maintain a new relationship in this situation.
Nesting is not for everyone. It could be a great solution for sharing custody after divorce, but it’s best to weigh out the pluses and negatives.