As a parent and individual going through a divorce, you know that there are many things you don’t agree with your spouse about. Despite that, it’s in your best interests to work with your spouse to divide your property and create a parenting plan that works well for you and your children.
Mediation can work if you and your spouse can’t get along or come up with a decision for your property or child custody arrangements. It requires you to be willing to work together, but if you can both commit to mediation, it has the potential to work well. It saves you money, time and effort in the long term, and it gives you a chance to learn how to handle situations in which you don’t agree. Here are three reasons to consider mediation before turning to arbitration or the judge for a decision.
1. Mediation helps you learn to manage conflict
Mediation helps you learn to manage conflicts by having someone witness your actions as a third party. When someone else is present, he or she can help you understand when something isn’t reasonable. The mediator has techniques for helping you come to an agreement, even if that means compromising. Once you are able to come up with compromises in mediation, you carry those techniques on throughout your lifetime.
2. Mediation is less expensive than allowing a judge to make a judgement
Mediation sessions usually cost less than fighting it out in court. They take less time on the whole. When it comes to divorce, time is money, so working through disagreements to prevent them in the future helps avoid unnecessary court conflicts.
3. Mediation is faster
With court dates taking as long as a year to schedule, mediation gives you the chance to prepare all your documents for the judge ahead of time. That quickens your divorce, which saves you time.
These are a few reasons to consider mediation. The right choices now save you time and money while reducing conflict.