Divorce mediation involves cooperating with your ex instead of immediately litigating disagreements about your divorce. There are many potential benefits to mediation, including more privacy and lower overall costs.
However, for many parents, the biggest benefit of divorce mediation is unquestionably how it protects your children from the hardest aspects of divorce. What are some of the ways that divorce mediation makes the end of your marriage easier for the kids?
The children don’t have to take sides
In a litigated divorce scenario, a judge may have to look at many different household factors. In some cases, the preferences of the children could play a role. It can be very difficult for children to speak up about where they would rather live during a divorce, and mediation shields them entirely from that pressure.
You don’t have to air your dirty laundry in family court
If your children attend court, they could hear the things that their parents say about one another to sway a judge regarding the division of property or parenting time. Not only could children hear testimony if they attend court, but they might also be able to get copies of the written court records later on, which could damage the relationship with their parents. Neither of those issues will be a problem with confidential mediation proceedings and records.
You and your ex learn to cooperate again
It is common for couples the bitterly dispute the exact terms of custody and property division during divorce proceedings. Every time the parents have to see each other during custody exchanges, they may become angry and get into fights.
In mediation, the opposite happens. You resolve everything by working together, and then all the courts do is finalized your decisions. The process of negotiating a custody settlement can lead to a better interpersonal relationship.
Pursuing divorce mediation could help you make divorce a little easier on your children.
