Compromise is the Key in Child Custody Mediation
April 28, 2016 by West Coast ADR
In previous blog posts, we discussed some of the factors that can hurt mediation attempts. If you are going through mediation for a child custody matter, you should make sure that you keep your child at the center of the process. You should not allow your child to be used as a pawn in the mediation.
Before you begin the mediation process, you have to consider a few points that must be addressed. Thinking about these can help you prepare.
Two of the most important points to consider are where the child will live and how much contact each parent will have with the child. This is often a source of contention since both parents usually want their child with them.
In some cases, it is appropriate to split time evenly between both parents. This might be the case if you and your ex still live close to each other. If the child is in school, it is important for the child to make it to school daily. This can become a consideration during the child custody mediation since the location of each parent’s home could impact the ability to do so.
Another area that must be decided upon is who will make decisions about how the child is raised. This can include matters such as health care and religious experiences. It can also include decisions about the child’s social life and education. Again, this is something that can be split between the parents.
Each point is an area that can be compromised upon. In many cases, coming to an agreement on these matters will involve some back and forth. Your mediator can help keep the process on track.
In previous blog posts, we discussed some of the factors that can hurt mediation attempts. If you are going through mediation for a child custody matter, you should make sure that you keep your child at the center of the process. You should not allow your child to be used as a pawn in the mediation.
Before you begin the mediation process, you have to consider a few points that must be addressed. Thinking about these can help you prepare.
Two of the most important points to consider are where the child will live and how much contact each parent will have with the child. This is often a source of contention since both parents usually want their child with them.
In some cases, it is appropriate to split time evenly between both parents. This might be the case if you and your ex still live close to each other. If the child is in school, it is important for the child to make it to school daily. This can become a consideration during the child custody mediation since the location of each parent’s home could impact the ability to do so.
Another area that must be decided upon is who will make decisions about how the child is raised. This can include matters such as health care and religious experiences. It can also include decisions about the child’s social life and education. Again, this is something that can be split between the parents.
Each point is an area that can be compromised upon. In many cases, coming to an agreement on these matters will involve some back and forth. Your mediator can help keep the process on track.