Children involved in divorce mediationWe often talk about how the divorce mediation process can benefit you. But did you know that divorce mediation and child custody mediation may also have lots of benefits for your children? Many studies have found that divorce is often harder on kids than on parents. Divorce mediation may be one way that you can minimize the tough transitions that children face when their parents end their relationship.

 

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits that mediation can have for children:

  • Mediation creates a foundation of communication skills. In courtroom cases, your lawyers and the judge do all the talking and all of the decision-making. In mediation, you and your spouse are required to talk through issues, learn how to cooperate outside your marriage, and compromise. These lessons can be used over and over again as you move to being co-parents.
  • Mediation is private. When you choose the courtroom, you also choose a public forum to settle your divorce. Mediation is confidential – your child is less likely to be dragged into the case, to hear about your divorce at school, and less likely to learn the private details of the divorce when they are older.
  • Mediation allows for creative solutions. All families are different. Mediation gives parents a chance to create a solution that works best for your unique family structure – even if no other family has come to that solution in the past. This means that you can think about the individual needs of your kids and form solutions around their needs.
  • Mediation often saves money. Most couples save a considerable amount of money by choosing divorce mediation over a courthouse divorce. These hundreds or thousands of dollars can be used to establish your new lives and to make certain that your children are more secure.
  • Mediation looks forward, not back. If you don’t have kids, a divorce that focuses on the past might be fine. But for families with children, divorce should be about establishing a healthy future for your family – even if the parents are not together. Mediation is very much about looking toward the future, not about blame and finger pointing. It’s about finding a fair way to separate property and a fair way to co-parent.
  • Mediation can reduce the stress of divorce. A courtroom divorce often creates stress – the final decisions are ultimately out of your control, and court arguments often focus on blame and rehashing the past. Divorce mediation, on the other hand, can reduce stress by helping you focus on the future instead of the past and look for solutions instead of recreating what went wrong. A parent who is less stressed is a better parent – your kids can feel your stress and anxiety.
  • Mediation puts parents on the same team. When you present your case to a judge, you are often fighting against your spouse to get your fair share. When you work with your spouse during divorce mediation, you are working together with your ex to find a solution you both find acceptable. Being on the same team during mediation will help you co-parent your kids even after you are no longer together.
  • Mediation helps you move past blame. One of the biggest obstacles to successful co-parenting is that the parents are still angry and blaming each other for past wrongs. Mediation is designed to help parents look toward the future instead of dwelling on the past. The mediation process can help establish a healthy future outlook that both parents can use to improve their co-parenting relationship and give their kids the best, most supportive environment possible.

Would you like to explore the mediation option for your Washington divorce, or do you require a Seattle divorce lawyer to assist you with your mediation? Contact the Law Offices of Molly B. Kenny today at 425-460-0550.

Learn About Involving Children in the Mediation Process​ +

Molly B. Kenny
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Divorce and Child Custody Attorney Serving Bellevue and Seattle Washington