On behalf of Gary Kirk of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Divorce Mediation on Tuesday, July 18, 2017.
There is no getting around it. Divorce is hard — hard on the couple, and hard on any children they have. So, it’s especially important during divorce mediation for divorcing or separating Alberta parents to have a parenting plan in place regarding younger children, in order to make a difficult situation much less stressful. There are a few things to take into consideration when fashioning a parenting plan checklist.
Parents have the most influence on shaping their children. Raising kids to be honest, upright and kind adults takes work, and it’s essential that both parents be involved in the process, if possible. Having a written document — or parenting plan — outlining how divorcing parents intend to raise their children should include such things as how information is shared about the children, when each parent will spend time with the children, and decisions about who spends which holidays with whom.
Parenting plans should primarily reflect the needs of the children. Having things spelled out not only sets clear guidelines but goes a long way to reduce conflict. Children have a better chance at coping well with divorce when their parents cooperate with each other. Parents know their children best, and they can work together with a lawyer to fashion a parenting plan that best meets their children’s needs.
Everyone in a divorce situation wins when divorce mediation can be chosen over litigation. Lawyers in Alberta with stellar records in divorce mediation and/or arbitration will help parties come to a successful resolution. There is nothing more important for children of divorce than having the most positive outcome possible.
Source: justice.gc.ca/eng, “Parenting Plan Checklist“, Government of Canada, July 7, 2017
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