We all want to provide our children with a good home life and stable upbringing. At the same time, we also want to protect them from undue suffering. As you know, divorce can be a source of suffering for all members of the family, including children. Logically, divorcing parents here in Tennessee are interested in reducing the emotional and mental damage their kids may experience before, during and after the split.
Divorce mediation by a lawyer is an excellent option when both parents are on board and agree about the importance of minimizing any harm to their children. One question we often hear from divorcing parents is how involved should their kids be in the divorce mediation process. Parents ask questions like these because they want to find out which choice – involving the children in the process or leaving them out altogether – will have the least negative impact on the kids.
Without knowing specific details of a divorce, we feel that it is impossible to provide a definitive answer. Ideally, parents will have a conversation together about how much their kids should and should not be included in the divorce mediation process. As a general rule, kids of all ages need to know that their parents are divorcing. However, when children are not mature enough to participate in mediation, it may be wiser to keep them out of the process.
Having a frank discussion with the party mediating the divorce is also a good way to make such a decision. Attorneys experienced in mediation have acquired a great deal of insight into how divorce affects the entire family. As such, a lawyer can provide valuable guidance when deciding whether to bring children into the process of divorce mediation. We encourage you to learn more about family law mediation by exploring the resources on our website.
