Both parents need to realize that they will be connected to each other for the rest of their lives through their children. The divorce mediation process can help the family create an agreement that is fair to all of the parties and help them through the divorce and its aftermath.

In a traditional divorce, Florida couples enter an adversarial process in which they allow a judge to decide how their issues will be settled. In divorce mediation, on the other hand, couples work as a team to settle their issues in a friendly environment. They, not a judge, control the outcome of the process. Because they have more control over what happens, they are more likely to feel satisfied with the results.

To enter the mediation process, each of the parties need to exercise control over their emotions. They should also educate themselves on each party’s rights and responsibilities in order to have a better frame of reference with which to negotiate. Putting their differences aside, the couple works with a mediator to come up with an agreement that is fair to both parties.

Hard feelings about the past are difficult to put aside, but to do so is necessary to create an atmosphere in which both parties can negotiate freely. Couples with children usually find that when their children see them put their differences aside for the good of the family, they will adjust better to their new family situation. To see two people with such profound disagreement creating an equitable settlement is a lesson that will also help the couple’s children deal with disagreements within their own relationships with friends, teachers, and relatives, now and in the future.