Going through a divorce is difficult. Things become even more complicated when you have a child together. Divorce can have long-term psychological effects on the child. Specifically, your child can go through depression, anger and long-term psychological and emotional consequences.
If divorce is inevitable, one of the options you can consider is settling the matter through mediation. Besides its numerous benefits to adults, opting for mediation over litigation can be helpful to your child in a number of ways. Here are some of them:
Mediation lays a foundation for better communication
In a litigated divorce, your legal counsel and the judge will do most of the talking and decision-making. Any decision made thereafter will be binding unless appealed. In mediation, however, you and your spouse will be in charge of the process from start to finish. Thus, during mediation, you will need to cooperate and make compromises. These are vital lessons that you will use over and over while co-parenting your child. Raising your child in an environment of cooperation rather than litigation will go a long way in fostering a healthy relationship with both parents.
Mediation offers privacy
When you opt for the court process, you are choosing a public forum to settle your divorce. This also means that the outcome of your divorce will be in the public record. Mediation, on the other hand, is a closed-door affair. This means that your child will not have to witness your fights. And this can give them a sense of optimism about life after their parents’ divorce.
Mediation saves money
From legal fees to court fees, divorce can cost you an arm and a leg in Florida. You can save most of this money when you opt for divorce mediation. You can then use this money to establish new lives and provide for your child.
Divorce can take a toll on everyone involved. Find out how you can effectively mediate your divorce and mitigate some of the impacts of divorce on your child.