CoreParent
Custody Schedules

Nesting (Birdnesting) Custody Schedule

Children stay in one 'nest' home. Parents take turns living there during their custody time. Typically a transitional arrangement, not long-term.

Children stay; parents rotate

Two-Week Pattern

M
T
W
T
F
S
S
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
Parent A Parent B

How It Works

The family home (or a neutral rental) stays as the children's base. Each parent has a separate residence (or shares an apartment off-site). During each parent's custody time they stay at the nest; when it's the other parent's turn they move out. Prevents children from packing bags twice a week.

Best For

Short-term transitional arrangement (3-6 months) during separation, especially when children are young or the divorce is very new.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Maximum stability for children — one home, one school, one neighborhood
  • No bag-packing, no shuttling between houses
  • Useful as a 3-6 month bridge during separation while emotions settle

Cons

  • Very expensive — effectively three homes (nest + two off-sites)
  • Unsustainable long-term due to cost and strain on parents
  • Requires civil co-parents who can share common household items