Here are three tips when entering a child custody and placement mediation.

A. The first tip is to come to your session prepared. This means to:

  • print off and bring with you your work schedule

  • your child’s school schedule and activity calendar, and

  • a holiday schedule if necessary.  

Having these documents with you in the session will help to ensure that you don’t have to remember those dates off the top of your head and will reduce the stress during the negotiation.  

B. The second tip for a child custody and placement mediation is to set your goals and limits beforehand. With the help of your attorney, determine your goals for the mediation session. That means:

  • think about what type of schedule you want for your child 

  • what, if any, concerns you have about the other parent.  

By doing this ahead of time, you’ll be able to determine what areas you are willing to compromise on and what areas you are not willing to compromise on. Come into the session with a firm idea of your goals and limits. This will prevent you from regretting any decision that you make while in negotiations.  

C. The final tip for child custody and placement mediation session is to:

  • focus on the best interest of your child. This is the most important of all the tips and should be at the forefront of all the decisions you make in your negotiation. 

It may mean that you have to compromise in an area that you wouldn’t normally do so. But if compromising is done for the best interest of your child, then it’s ultimately worth the sacrifice you’re making.