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Children living at home while parents come and go after divorce

Many Kentucky readers are familiar with the term "empty nester," as it relates to parents whose children are all grown and moved out of their homes. However, some might not yet have heard about a new type of nesting that concerns couples with children who divorce. This new type of parenting plan is catching on in some areas, as one woman recently shared in The New York Times.

The idea behind nesting after divorce is to help children adapt to their new lifestyles by causing as little disruption to their existing routines as possible. In this particular arrangement, it means children continue to live in the home that was shared by their parents in marriage while the parents take up separate residences elsewhere and come to stay with their children on a rotating schedule. The woman who posted about her experience said she often gets looks of surprise and confusion when she describes her situation to others.

One person did not respond with shock, however, but instead shed a few tears. She told the mother of three that she wished her parents would have executed such a plan when they divorced during her childhood. She said, even 30 years later, she can still recall her younger sister sobbing every time they had to change houses, and things may have been so much better if her parents had known about post-divorce nesting.

Many Kentucky parents negotiate their own parenting plans during divorce and simply turn to the court for approval. Anyone interested in discussing a potential nesting plan or seeking clarification about state laws that govern such matters can request a meeting with a family law attorney. An attorney can help come up with a plan that keeps children's best interests at heart.