Every Monday it's time for Laura's (name changed) daughters to pack their bags. Toys, books, anything they need for the next week goes in. “Very important, the health insurance cards,” says Laura. Her daughters are seven and nine years old and will be living with their father for the next week, just a stone's throw away from Laura's apartment in Berlin.

Four years ago, Laura and her then partner separated. Since then, they have looked after their two daughters equally, with the children living alternately with their mother and father. The so-called alternating model is rarely practiced by couples living apart, although it can bring many advantages.

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