“Nesting” during a divorce is when the parents take turns having their custodial time with their children in the family home and the parents themselves have separate places. Rather than the minor children going back and forth between two separate residences, they remain in the family home 100% of the time and the parents do all the rotating in and out of the family home.

What are the benefits of nesting agreements? Keeping the children’s environment and routine stable is often the top priority of many parents going through a divorce. Nesting is sometimes a favored option for some parents as it keeps the children’s school, after-school activities, neighbors, friends, etc. the same. Additionally, if either parent is not able to financially secure a new residence to accommodate the minor children, they sometimes choose to rent an affordable residence for themselves and keep the family home as the major housing cost. Nesting can also help parents that are going through a trial separation and gives them time to evaluate whether they really want to divorce and may help ease reconciliation.

Nesting agreements certainly come with their own challenges. It can be very emotional and challenging for both parents to move in and out of the family home continuously. Furthermore, if the parents are not able to secure an affordable second residence for themselves, it may end up costing the parties even more money to keep the family home. Nesting can also lead to other behavior such as spying on the other parent while they are in the house.

Determining whether a nesting agreement is an option for you and your family requires a lot of corroboration and understanding among the parties. Nesting is often very stressful and needs to be very carefully planned. If you have any questions regarding nesting agreements, please contact us at (443) 741-2567 and we would be happy to meet with you to discuss your options.

As the holiday season approaches, many parents can feel the pressure of dealing with the challenges of their holiday visitation schedule. Whether this is the first holiday season that you have to adhere to a visitation schedule with your ex, or perhaps you are dealing with a new change in the holiday schedule this year, there are steps you can take now to minimize the holiday stress with your ex.

Every co-parent should review their parenting plan or existing custody order prior to the holidays. If everything is still ok and no changes or accommodations need to be made, then a simple confirmation with your co-parent should suffice. If there are issues with your current schedule and need to change it, you should first communicate your request to your co-parent and see if any accommodation can be made. Both parents should be flexible and compromise to avoid unproductive communication. Some co-parents may consult and use the services of a mediator if they cannot reach an expeditious agreement among themselves.  Mediation can be an effective tool that may resolve the issue(s) without having to litigate in court. 

Renegotiating with your ex to change the holiday schedule, either on a temporary or permanent basis, can be challenging. If speaking with your co-parent is not fruitful and mediation does not work, you may want to consider speaking with an attorney to discuss your options. Some of the options available may be filing a court modification or enforcement. If you have any questions about your upcoming holiday access schedule, feel free to contact our firm and we would be happy to meet with you to discuss your legal options. 

With the start of the school year underway, the changes in your children’s schedule may spark renewed discussions with you and your ex regarding changing your custody schedule. Maybe your child is starting kindergarten, or perhaps your child’s after school activities are more time consuming and you have to figure out a new pick up schedule… many new changes may have parents needing to address an existing custody arrangement or perhaps even modify it.

Below are some helpful tips to consider as you handle these changes:

1. Be respectful and be a good listener. The conversation and concerns will go much smoother if you approach concerns with a positive attitude.

2. Put your child’s needs and priorities first. If there needs to be an adjustment due to schedule or a new change and it is in your child’s best interest to do so, you should give it some serious consideration.

3. If you and your ex cannot come to an agreement, consider other options like mediation before resorting going to court. Litigation is the most expensive option to go through and there are other avenues to explore.

4. Consistency is important as it pertains to a child’s schedule. If you do come to an agreement and make some adjustments, stick to them as best as you can as to avoid constant disruption in your child’s life.

Change can be stressful but it is also manageable. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach us at (443) 741-2567 and we would be happy to meet with you to discuss your options.