5 Considerations You May Want to Explore During Child Custody Mediation

 Posted on February 08, 2022 in Child Custody Mediation

As a parent, breaking up or getting divorced involves much more than financial issues like the division of assets. You must also decide how you and your soon-to-be-ex will handle child custody and parenting responsibilities. Unfortunately, deciding how to divide time with your children can quickly become  a contentious issue. Parents may also disagree on how to raise their children.  Family law mediation can help you and your child’s other parent discuss these issues and work toward a solution. Many parents find that the meditation process saves them time, money, and stress as compared to traditional litigation.

Parental Dating and Romantic Partners

Many divorced parents plan to reenter the dating scene once the divorce is finalized. You and your child’s other parent should discuss how and when a parent may introduce the child to a new romantic partner. You may also want to discuss whether a parent can have a romantic partner spend the night. By addressing these issues early, you may be able to prevent arguments in the future.

Holidays, Vacations, and Special Occasions

Even if you and the other parent can agree on a child custody schedule in a general sense, there will always be special occasions. For example, who will keep the child on their birthday? What about Christmas or New Year’s Day? If there is a school vacation, will the parent who was originally assigned custody keep the child, or will the parents split up the vacation?

Screen Time Limits for Children

Many parents worry about their children spending too much time in front of a computer or television screen. Studies show that excessive “screen time” can lead to obesity, sleep problems, and behavior problems. Rules about how and when children may use a smartphone, tablet, computer, or other electronic devices may be something to discuss with your child’s other parent during mediation.

Bedtimes and Curfews

Research shows that children can thrive in two-home families. Experts also agree that children require a certain amount of consistency and structure to be happy and healthy. You and the other parent may want to decide when your child’s bedtime or curfew should be so that you can both stick to the same rules. When one parent lets the child stay up until 11 P.M. and the other expects the child to be asleep by 8 P.M., the child’s body can have a very hard time adjusting to the changing sleep schedule.

Parent-Teacher Conferences and Other School Activities

Will both parents attend school plays, graduation ceremonies, and other special events? Who will attend parent-teacher conferences or PTA meetings? These are other important issues to bring up during child custody mediation.

Contact a Plano Child Custody Mediator

Mediation is a great way for divorcing parents to negotiate child custody matters and plan for a successful co-parenting future. Contact a Collin County family law mediator to learn more.

Source:

https://www.verywellfamily.com/the-negative-effects-of-too-much-screen-time-1094877