Co-parenting mediation has become a hot topic in the field of alternative dispute resolution.  As one of the easiest and most effective ways to negotiate parenting arrangements following a divorce or separation, co-parenting mediation allows divorcing parents to work out custody and visitation schedules that work best for them and their children.  It’s a process that keeps the power in the hands of the parents rather than allowing a judge to determine what is best for the family.  For this reason, most couples who have gone through the process are not only glad they chose mediation—they are universally convinced that it is the best way to do it.

Research shows that the negative consequences divorce has on the emotional wellbeing of children stem from children being separated from one parent or the other for a long period of time.  When children are accustomed to spending time with both parents and become attached to both parents, serious emotional consequences can result from a significant change in that way of life for them.

The good news is that when a married couple with children decides that they no longer want to be married, the separation does not have to be extremely difficult on the children as long as they are able to spend adequate and equal amounts of time with both parents.  The toll that divorce takes on the children can be significantly minimized through co-parenting and joint parenting arrangements, particularly if the parents are able to be “adult” enough to avoid a nasty divorce that drags the children in the middle and requires them to “take sides.”

For this reason, the benefits of co-parenting mediation are for the entire family.  The parents are able to maintain control over their family and the future of their family, and the children are able to maintain a sense of stability, despite the fact that both parents might not be living in the same household.  It’s truly a win-win situation in what could otherwise be a very negative experience.