When you told your children you were getting divorced, you may have heard simultaneous mixed reactions. Even if your kids had an inkling ahead of time that all was not well in your marriage, they may have been taken aback as they considered the impact your divorce would have on their lives. That’s only natural and many Florida parents find they need third party support to help their children adapt to new lifestyles when they sever their marital ties.
Like most parents, you no doubt want what’s best for your children and you probably realize that you may be in for a challenge (or two, or more) with regard to developing a new parenting plan and child custody arrangement that will help your children continue to thrive. You also undoubtedly understand that what works for one family may not be what’s best for your own; therefore, it often helps to consider all options before determining which path to take.
When it comes to living arrangements
You may have heard of a rising trend related to post divorce living circumstances for Florida families. It’s called “nesting” and has caught the attention of many people seeking stability and routine in their children’s lives after divorce. If these issues are high on your list of goals, you may want to consider the following nesting ideas:
- In a nesting situation, your children would continue to live in the house you and your former spouse shared with them when you were married.
- The main gist of the nesting process is that you and your children’s other parent would take turns living with them.
- You’d also need to have another residence where you would stay when it’s not your turn to live with your children.
- Some people say this is the best option if you want to keep things as normal as possible for your children after your divorce. There’s no shuttling them back and forth between houses and all their belongings remain in one place, which can eliminate a lot of potential stress.
- Some people whose parents divorced in their childhoods who hear of nesting say they wish their mothers and fathers had known about the process when they were young because they experienced a lot of negative issues that arose from having to divide their life into separate households.
As with most family living situations, you’ll also want to consider the financial ramifications of a nesting arrangement. If you own your house outright, then it may actually save you money. However, you may face added expenses if you still pay a mortgage and you have to put money into another place to live as well.
You may decide it’s worth it so that your kids can continue living where they’ve always lived and you don’t have to bother trying to sell your house. If your relationship with your former spouse is amicable, you may be able to negotiate your own nesting terms and then seek the court’s approval. You may want to avoid present or future complications while you plan your nesting agreement by seeking experienced family law guidance.
