We understand that most parents are very concerned about the impact separation can have on children and the time that you are able to spend with your children. Our goal is to assist you to find a parenting schedule or arrangement that is best suited to your family and that best meets the needs of your children.
Parents’ needs—though important—usually take a back seat to those of the children. It is more important to figure out what works for your children.
We recognize that in almost all circumstances, parents are the parenting experts when it comes to your children. It is important for people to keep in mind that whatever parenting arrangement you come to will not be set in stone—parenting arrangements are always going to be variable.
What is appropriate for very young children will only rarely be appropriate for those same children as they mature. As a result, it is very important to set a positive tone when negotiating your parenting arrangement that will allow you as parents to revisit the issue throughout your children’s childhoods without conflict.
There are many ways to ensure that the parenting arrangement that is in place is working for your children. When parents are able to find even a small amount of cooperation, your children have a better opportunity to thrive and have positive relationships with both parents.
If parents are able to agree on parenting arrangements, the possibilities for parenting are almost limitless. It would be very unusual that a court would change a parenting arrangement where the parents are in agreement.
In the event the parents cannot agree, we will work to find a solution outside of a courtroom, either through negotiation or mediation that will still allow you as parents to craft a solution that fits your children. That may mean that we find a parenting professional to assist you to find a developmentally appropriate arrangement, or it could mean that we work on different transition plans or agree to a schedule of review.
We will work very hard to find a negotiated resolution for parents because we know that negotiated solutions are more durable than parenting arrangements that are imposed on families. People are more likely to follow and support a plan when they have participated in the creation of the plan.
If the parents are not able to agree how the children’s needs are best met, a third party (either a judge or an arbitrator) will have to impose an arrangement. That is not an ideal situation but it can help parents move forward and sometimes that is the only way to bring resolution to a disagreement about parenting. We know that ongoing conflict can be detrimental for children, and this may be the only effective route to ending conflict for some families.
Contact us to see how we can help.
