Birdnesting is a unique type of child custody arrangement. While most child custody setups require the children to move from one parent’s house to the other, birdnesting flips the script. It is the parents who move in and out of the house.
For example, say that the parents share physical custody. The father lives with the children for the first week. On Sunday, he switches places with their mother, who moves into the home with the children. The father then moves out and lives elsewhere until it is his turn to switch back in and have custody of the kids. During all of these exchanges, the children simply live in the same house, so they get a bit more stability and they do not have to go through a significant change just because their parents got divorced.
Why this often does not work
For most couples, birdnesting is not really a viable solution. The problem is financial. The parents need to own the children’s house jointly, so they have to figure out how to pay for that expense and split up all of the costs and responsibilities. This can be hard for parents in a high-conflict divorce, and it can also be unaffordable if both parents also need their own place to live when they do not have custody.
But this could make it a great solution during a high-asset divorce when owning multiple properties is not a financial issue. After all, parents are usually trying to put their children first. Birdnesting can provide the children with stability, consistency and a sense of security, while allowing them to maintain relationships with both parents. From this perspective, if it is financially possible, birdnesting may be one of the best custody solutions.
If you are going through a high-asset divorce with children, be sure to consider birdnesting and all of your other child custody options while navigating the legal process.