Going through a divorce is rarely easy on anyone. If you have young ones in your family, though, the end of your marriage may have catastrophic emotional and psychological consequences. Specifically, your children may experience anger, depression, sadness or even a sense of impending abandonment.
With careful parenting and guidance, you may be able to ward off many of the negative emotions children often experience during divorce. Choosing divorce mediation over a bitter court battle may also be helpful in at least three ways.
1. Your kids do not see you fight
When divorce litigation turns ugly, which it does more often than you may think, angry spouses tend to fight over even the smallest matters. With mediation, you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse work collaboratively rather than combatively. If your kids do not see you fight, they may be more optimistic about their post-divorce lives.
2. Everyone wins something
Respecting each spouse’s interests and goals is one of the beautiful aspects of divorce mediation. While neither you nor your spouse is likely to get everything you want, each of you should win something. This fact may allow you to walk away from your marriage with less bitterness, which may give you the opportunity to focus on your kids instead of stewing in anger.
3. You save some money
While the cost of divorce mediation ranges wildly, it is typically considerably less expensive than a traditional divorce. Any money you save by opting for mediation can go to helping your kids adjust to your divorce, such as a mental health counselor, new bedroom furniture or other expenses.
Because divorce mediation is not appropriate in every situation, you should closely weigh its pros and cons. Ultimately, though, mediating your divorce may be beneficial to you, your soon-to-be ex-spouse and your kids.
