Family mediation is a process whereby parents and their children attempt to resolve parenting issues without going to court. Family mediation is often a less costly alternative to litigation and is less adversarial than a court proceeding. When parents cannot agree on how to best raise their children, mediation can help them find common ground and work out a parenting plan that works best for everyone involved. Mediation is not a quick fix but rather a long-term commitment to problem solving and communication. Read on to learn more about how mediation works and what happens at each step in the process.
The first meeting is primarily a fact-finding session. The mediator will ask you about your relationship, your parenting history, your financial situation, and what issues you want to discuss. The mediator will also ask your children a few questions about their day-to-day lives and how they feel about living with you and your ex. The mediator will then meet with both parents separately and discuss their questions and concerns. The mediator will also ask your children about their feelings and thoughts on the divorce and living with you and your ex. The mediation session is not meant to be confrontational. Rather, it is an opportunity for both parents and their children to express their feelings and concerns about the divorce without the added stress of a court proceeding.The first meeting is also an opportunity for the mediator to determine if a full mediation session is appropriate. If so, the parents will be asked to sign a mediation agreement that outlines the rules of the mediation process. If the first meeting is not enough to determine if mediation is the best option, the parents are free to end the mediation session at any time.
The second meeting is similar to the first meeting. The mediator will discuss what happened at the first meeting and ask the parents and children if there is anything new or different. The mediator will also ask the parents if they have any new ideas about how to solve the issues that brought them to mediation in the first place. The parents and children will then discuss the issues they discussed at the first meeting in more detail. The parents may also be asked to fill out a family problem-solving worksheet. The second meeting is another opportunity for the parents and children to express their feelings and concerns.
The third meeting is similar to the second meeting. The parents and children will discuss what they discussed at the second meeting. The parents may also be asked to fill out a family problem-solving worksheet. The third meeting is another opportunity for the parents and children to express their feelings and concerns. The parents may also be asked to fill out a family problem-solving worksheet. The third meeting is another opportunity for the parents and children to discuss the issues they discussed at the previous meetings in more detail.
The fourth meeting is similar to the third meeting. The parents and children will discuss what they discussed at the third meeting. The parents may also be asked to fill out a family problem-solving worksheet. The fourth meeting is another opportunity for the parents and children to express their feelings and concerns. The parents may also be asked to fill out a family problem-solving worksheet. The fourth meeting is another opportunity for the parents and children to discuss the issues they discussed at the previous meetings in more detail. The parents may also be asked to fill out a family problem-solving worksheet.
The fifth meeting is similar to the fourth meeting. The parents and children will discuss what they discussed at the fourth meeting. The parents may also be asked to fill out a family problem-solving worksheet. The fifth meeting is another opportunity for the parents and children to express their feelings and concerns. The parents may also be asked to fill out a family problem-solving worksheet. The fifth meeting is another opportunity for the parents and children to discuss the issues they discussed at the previous meetings in more detail. The parents may also be asked to fill out a family problem-solving worksheet. The fifth meeting is also the final step in the mediation process.
If both parents and their children reach a settlement at the end of mediation, the parents will be asked to sign a mediation agreement. This agreement will outline the terms of the settlement and the responsibilities of the parents and children. If the parents do not reach a settlement, they will be asked to sign a mediation agreement. Both parents will also be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement that prevents them from discussing the issues discussed during mediation outside of the mediation process.
Family mediation is a less costly alternative to litigation and is less adversarial than a court proceeding. When parents cannot agree on how to best raise their children, mediation can help them find common ground and work out a parenting plan that works best for everyone involved. Mediation is not a quick fix but rather a long-term commitment to problem solving and communication. Family mediation is a less costly alternative to litigation and is less adversarial than a court proceeding. When parents cannot agree on how to best raise their children, mediation can help them find common ground and work out a parenting plan that works best for everyone involved. Mediation is not a quick fix but rather a long-term commitment to problem solving and communication.