When you’re a parent, ending a marriage means that you’re going to have to come up with a plan for the children you share with your spouse. In California, child custody disputes are often handled through mediation. This can be immensely helpful in diffusing hostilities between a couple and reorienting them toward the best interests of their children and their ongoing relationship as co-parents.
When you go through mediation, you’ll work with an impartial third-party mediator to discuss the matters that have to be decided. The mediator won’t make decisions for you. Instead, they will attempt to keep the negotiations on track and provide an unbiased perspective.
How can you make child custody negotiations easier?
Child custody negotiations don’t have to be contentious. It’s possible for divorcing parents to work respectfully with each other while they come up with the terms that will govern their future interactions regarding the children. Consider these tips to help you as you work with your ex:
- Always speak in a professional tone. This isn’t the time to get aggressive or to have an attitude. Instead, keep things businesslike to try to avoid unnecessary drama.
- Leave the past alone. The only time you should bring up the past is if there’s something, such as abuse, that would have a direct impact on the child custody agreement. Things like infidelity and similar matters shouldn’t be part of child custody matters.
- Focus on what the children need so you can make decisions that are in their best interests. Remember to set the guidelines for what they need because you can modify the agreement in the future if needed.
Anyone who’s facing a divorce and needs to work out child custody matters should discuss their case with their attorney. Learning the options can help them to make decisions about what’s in their best interests.