Divorce leaves no one unaffected, and often children are the most vulnerable. So could a new parenting trend called bird’s nest parenting be the solution?
This unconventional parenting trend, which sees the kids stay in the family home while the parents take turns, rotating in and out of the ‘nest’, could be a new peaceful solution for parents who are separating.
Bird’s nest parenting has taken off overseas and been touted as the next best thing if parents staying together is no longer a viable option.
This arrangement means that children are able to remain in their family home, with familiar surroundings and without having their routines disrupted or needing two sets of clothes and toys.
To make the living arrangement as harmonious as possible there are some guidelines to follow:
Sort the cash: Discuss the division of chores, house maintenance and financial arrangements at the outset. For instance, who will be responsible for making sure bills get paid? It may help to have a separate bank account for nest expenses.
Show respect: Honour the privacy of each other’s personal spaces in the nest.
Stay united: Agree on parenting rules. The whole point of bird’s-nesting is maintaining routines and a stable environment for the kids, so try to stay united on issues like screen time, bed-time, homework, pocket money and discipline methods.
Future-proof: Establish a rule about overnight guests – even if neither of you has a new partner at the moment.
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Read more about this latest parenting trend in the latest issue of NEXT
