When Children are Part of Divorce, Family Mediation Can Help

Feb. 10, 2012 - PRLog -- When you have children, divorce can be a heart-wrenching experience. It throws the whole family into upheaval and plays on everyone's deepest concerns and fears. Some couples find that family mediation is a good way to work through the points of contention in their divorce, while keeping the best interests of their children at the forefront.

Fortunately, there are options when it comes to ending your marriage, and some of them may be better for your children's emotional health than others. Still, not everyone thinks to explore all their options. But why?

Some people assume that adversarial litigation is the only way to handle a divorce. This can be because the traditional courtroom divorce is the one most often represented in the media, or because of strong emotions that make spouses want to “win” the divorce battle and see their exes “lose.”

But despite these strong feelings, divorcing parents should take the opportunity to look into alternatives to litigation. For those with children, divorce is not just about the drama between the 2 partners; it's about the needs and emotional health of the kids.

Reactions to divorce vary. Some couples start off angry and move on to acceptance, while others may be shocked at first and only discover their anger later. Whatever the case, the period following the decision to divorce is an emotional roller-coaster, and it can be hard to put feelings aside and address the practical aspects of a breakup.

Understanding Family Mediation

Family mediation is a process in which the divorcing couple sorts through the issues between them with the help of a licensed mediator. Among the most frequently addressed matters are child custody, child support, spousal support and property division.

The mediator doesn’t make decisions regarding the case; he or she simply facilitates productive dialogue. Each party has an attorney, but the aim of the process is to help the parties reach acceptable solutions to their disagreements outside of court.

It's a method that is respectful of both parties involved and expects them to participate in a civil and cooperative manner.

Benefits of Family Mediation

When parents are going through a divorce, children can intuit changes happening around them and will react according to the cues they're picking up. Research shows that children of divorce are more stressed and may face long-term emotional effects. They might have social, academic and behavioral issues, or even have their future relationships affected.

Adversarial divorce litigation can be a long, drawn-out process and can cause bitterness and anger between the parties. Pursuing alternatives to litigation can help lessen the stressful effects of divorce on your children because it focuses on solving problems, rather than pitting the divorcing spouses against each other.

Family mediation also can be less expensive compared with courtroom litigation. This benefits the divorcing couple and their children. Research on the effects of divorce shows that after divorce, children exhibit more stress when the family suffers financially.

Overall, this can be a good option for divorcing parents who would like a gentler, more civil way to end their marriage and work through child custody and other issues.

Worried about Your Children in a Divorce? Contact an Attorney in Virginia

Our Virginia divorce attorneys care about your rights, the welfare and happiness of your children, and your financial security. Let us use our unique experience to help you focus on your goals for the future and your family. To learn more about your children through a divorce, request a FREE copy of our divorce book for women in Virginia, or reserve your seat at our monthly divorce seminar – 1-757-425-5200.
Visit us at http://www.virginiadivorceattorney.com/reports/what-every... or reserve your seat at: http://www.monthlydivorceseminars.com/

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The attorneys of Hofheimer/Ferrebee P. C., have met with, counseled and successfully represented thousands of women in their divorces.