Divorce is messy. Sadly, children can become collateral damage during public court hearings, discussions with lawyers and other paraprofessionals. Children may feel they are caught in the middle, which may lead to anxiety, and depression. These symptoms may manifest themselves through poor performance in school, mood swings and change in behaviors. It is always wise to seek the assistance of a medical or mental health professional if your children need help with coping skills.
What can you do to help your children maintain stability during this difficult time?
One way to minimize your children’s stress and keep them out of the battlefield is mediation.
Mediation is a form of alternate dispute resolution. Both parties meet with a neutral mediator who is there to facilitate communication between the parties. The mediator is trained to identify common ground between the parties and assist them with drafting their own parenting plan, as well as other issues related to the divorce.
Below are five benefits to mediation when children are involved:
- Mediation is private. Everything is confidential and not revealed in public court documents and open court hearings;
- Children learn a valuable lesson in problem solving behavior. They learn that even though adults can disagree, problems can be solved civilly and amicably, as long as each party is open to communication;
- Mediation keeps the focus on the best interest of your children and encourages you and your spouse to work together to create an agreement that will work for everyone in the family;
- Mediated agreements give you control of the terms of the agreement; not the Judge;
- Mediation can save you money. Litigation is time consuming and costly. Money that would be used to fund continued court battles can be put towards your children, for example college funds, extra-curricular activities, or other means of support.
Every divorce is different. Contact Fleischer Law Solutions, PLLC to schedule a consultation to discuss whether divorce mediation is right for your situation.
This is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney/client relationship on the part of the reader.