Divorce can be a stressful time for California families. There are a variety of important decisions that need to be made including how to split property and how the children’s time should be divided. Making these decisions is complicated by the fact that emotions are often extremely high. Soon-to-be ex-spouses may not want to communicate with the other spouse at all, let alone make major life decisions.
When it comes to child custody issues, things can get particularly heated. Parents can have a hard time coming to terms with the fact that their relationship with their children will look different following a divorce. Parents may have different parenting ideas which can lead to additional conflict as parents need to make decisions regarding their children’s care.
In cases where parents cannot seem to agree on child custody and child rearing issues, a parenting coordinator can come in handy. While a parenting coordinator can be ordered by the court, the coordinator does not represent one party or the other. Instead, the parenting coordinators job is to help the couple work together to solve issues. This can help to keep conflict to a minimum which is best for children in the long run.
Similar to a parenting coordinator, a mediator can help California couples come to agreements during their divorce. A mediator can help facilitate negotiation between the former spouses so that they can settle divorce issues. Like parenting coordinators, a mediator does not represent either side, but stays neutral in the proceedings. By working with a mediator, couples can avoid costly litigation and come to a settlement that works best for them and for their children.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Parenting Coordinators: Helping Parents Through High-Conflict Custody Cases,” Nicole H. Sodoma and Robin Goulet, May 8, 2014
