The mediator will encourage the parents to go over the written parenting agreement with their lawyers. After the agreement is signed, the mediator will submit the signed agreement to the court for approval. Once approved by the court, the parenting agreement will be entered as an enforceable order of the court. A mediator emphasizes that divorce is not the end of the family. Mediation is a way of assisting mothers and fathers to continue to be parents in a reorganized family.
Children particularly suffer from the stress and anxiety associated with separation and divorce.
Stress and anxiety both for parents and children can be reduced through participation in mediation. Parents are assisted in affirming their affection and concern for the children, and the normal fears and anxieties of children concerning the loss of one parent can be lessened. Self-determination and direct involvement in the decision making process are effective in promoting positive and lasting results for the parents and children. Parents who invest time and energy putting together a plan for their children are more likely to adhere to the plan. Mediation directs the focus away from the issues that could not be resolved during the marriage and toward the issues that must he resolved prior to a satisfactory custody agreement.