I think it's very interesting. I hadn't known that this was possible before. But I found out that when people get divorced and they have kids, the visitation and custody schedules are only for the minimum amount of the times the kids have to see the other parent. There's nothing wrong or illegal about going outside of the schedule, and letting the other parent see the kids as often as they want to. Or even just throwing that all into the air, and just flat out living together! I think this article and it's stories explain it the best. People can be funny as hell:
The article: Is This Nuts? More Couples Living Together After Divorce
My fave parts:
“They split up,” as if revealing that said mutual friend had purchased a new pair of clogs.
“What are you talking about?” I said, too loudly.
“You didn’t know?” Soccer Pal asked, so incredulous that I momentarily wondered if the news had been posted on the township Facebook page: “There was a burglary on Virginia Avenue. Kristen and
Bill split up. Leaf pickup starts on Friday the 3rd.”
I’d just seen them together at Dunkin’ Donuts, all of them, including the four kids. I recalled jolly laughter and the aura of bona fide togetherness-ness. Kristen and Bill were always together. At games. At the pool. At the block party. It wasn’t like Kristen and I were BFFs, but her cell number was programmed into my phone. We texted.
Same couple they were talking about, but now the author is talking to the ex-wife:
“I’m not surprised you didn’t notice,” she said. “We’re separated. Totally. But Bill’s always around. He sleeps over at least three nights a week.”
“He sleeps over?” I repeated.
“On the couch,” she clarified. “But he takes the kids to school, the whole thing. It kind of … I don’t know … it kind of works. It’s better. For the kids. I didn’t want to uproot them. It’s their house. I’m not sure when he’ll officially move out. Or if he’ll officially move out.”
I didn’t want to be meddlesome and ask the obvious question: If you split but you don’t actually split, isn’t that the equivalent of, um, marriage? Instead, I blurted out a far less invasive query: “Are you dating?”
“A little.”
This guy is so cool to his kids:
A couple out in Wayne did the same thing, but bought a small studio apartment nearby where each parent stayed on his or her off-time. Then there was the dad who moved out but came over every morning before the kids woke up to cook them breakfast.
But then there's the crazies:
Each parent takes responsibility for their two daughters a few nights a week and every other weekend. On the dad’s off-weekends, he stays at his girlfriend’s house and the mom’s boyfriend moves in. On the mom’s weekends off, the dad’s girlfriend sleeps over. During the holidays, the four of them would be at the same neighborhood parties together. And back at the neighborhood block party in the summer.
And I agree with this chick:
“I mean,” she went on, “doesn’t it sound … great?”
“Great?”
"Think about it. You get to have sex all you want with whomever you want. You get to have the family fire burning at home. Of course, as soon as Joe started dating, I’d lose my shit. I’d probably kill him, but … ” She trailed off dreamily, then strolled away.
I do really like the idea, although I don't know how I'd handle him dating other women while living with me...but I do like it!! I could have other options for dating too. People can be creative as hell sometimes.
Most Helpful Opinions