Most Utah parents going through a divorce want to make sure that their kids do not suffer unnecessarily from the process. Child custody agreements can sometimes cause contention, but if parents can work together, they may be able to take advantage of arrangements that can help the kids through the transitioning phase. In particular, parents may want to look into birdnesting.
Birdnesting is a trend that has recently become more popular. This arrangement involves keeping the family home, and rather than having the children go from house to house for each parent’s parenting time, the kids stay in one home and the parents rotate in and out. While this arrangement may cause less stress for the kids, it can still be tricky to pull off as it often means keeping up three residences as the kids stay in one and each parent has his or her own to live in.
Because of the financial questions and overall effects of birdnesting, some experts believe that this type of arrangement works best if only utilized for a few months. It is likely not sustainable long term, and children may develop a sense of anxiety because they do not know what it will be like when the separation finally occurs. Still, this approach can have benefits, like allowing the kids to stay at their same school and having fewer negative social impacts.
Of course, the possible benefits of any arrangement mean nothing if parents cannot make the situation work. While birdnesting may be useful, it is likely not a viable option for parents who cannot get along. In any case, Utah parents should consider their child custody options and determine what terms would work best for their children.