If bird's nest custody is something that you and your spouse are considering as a way to raise your child after your divorce, it's a good idea to carefully evaluate whether this setup will be the right one for your family. There are many different custody arrangements, so if bird's nest works, you can move in that direction. If not, you can simply choose another approach. It's impossible to overlook the financial side of bird's nest custody, so consider these pros and cons and have a discussion with your child custody attorney before you make up your mind.

Pro: Fewer Travel-Related Expenses

By keeping your children in the same house, rather than moving them between houses every week, you may be able to cut down on a number of travel-related expenses. For example, if your kids are active with sports and part-time jobs near the house, the cost of traveling between these location is minimal. However, if you were to opt for a custody arrangement in which your kids spend half of the time with you in a house across the city, the costs of traveling — either by public transit or having you drive them — to their sports and jobs can add up.

Con: You'll Need Three Residences

When couples get divorced, they usually each get a residence. In the case of shared custody, the children will spend time in each residence. Bird's nest custody requires you to have three houses between the two of you. You'll have the place at which each of you spend time with your kids, as well as a place for each of you when you're not with the children. There's obviously an added expense of this scenario.

Pro: You Won't Spend As Much On Children's Supplies

If your children were to live in two locations, you'd have a lot of expenses to outfit their two rooms. For example, each child would need a bed, dresser, computer, and more in each residence. In a bird's nest scenario, each child would only have one room, meaning that you'd only have to supply one room per child instead of two. Given the expense of furnishing rooms, this can present a considerable cost savings.

Con: But, You Will Spend More On Your Own Supplies

You and your spouse will each be splitting your time between two residences, which means that you'll need certain things in both locations. While you might move some possessions from house to house as you go back and forth, this isn't always the case. In addition to outfitting bedrooms in both locations, you'll also need kitchen supplies, entertainment options, and a host of other things in both locations — all of which can add up financially.