Whether you’re a momma bear or a protective papa, it’s easy to see how you would do anything for your children, even if it means fighting in court with the other parent. Unfortunately, fighting in court can be stressful and costly for all parties involved, including your children. Once the court is involved, there is nothing stopping both parties from returning to court over any issue, whether big or small, until the children reach the age of 18. While it is always of paramount importance to keep your children’s best interests at heart, you may want to consider mediation for the most effective approach in order save time and money.
If appropriate for your case, custody mediation can save time, money, and possibly even relationships. Custody mediation offers the ability to sit down and get to the bottom of the issues between parents. When you’re in the courtroom, it’s difficult to have a real conversation about what is actually bothering both parents because each party’s lawyer is arguing to get the best result for their client. Regardless of who wins in the courtroom, both parents will always be a part of their children’s lives, which leaves a lot of time where you will still need to interact with the other parent. So, while you may win big in the courtroom, you may leave the other parent scorned to the point that it’s difficult to interact with them on a daily basis for the custodial situation with your children.
Custody mediation offers the opportunity to get to the root of all issues surrounding the parties and their children. Since there are no judges or lawyers present, apart from the lawyer who may be acting as a mediator, the parties are able to have a completely honest discussion about any issues they may have. The mediator will make sure that each parent is heard and offer an outsider’s perspective on the situation. In mediation, you will be able to develop the tools necessary for caring for your child with the other parent’s involvement as well. It’s important to clear the air with the other parent so that both parents can be on the same page when it comes to raising their children.
When you choose to take part in custody mediation here at ACES Mediation, you’ll be choosing the approach that will give you the ability to effectively co-parent for the benefit of your children, and not to mention, save a lot of time and money in the process.