The better the parents are at negotiating satisfactory solutions to their differences, the better their relationships will be with their children. When parents are unable to agree on basic decisions regarding their children's health, education and welfare, a court will step in and impose decisions. These decisions, though aimed at protecting and preserving the best interests of the children, are often very different from what the parents want or feel is appropriate. Negotiating your parenting agreement is covered in detail in Chapter 4. There are several basic approaches to negotiating a parenting agreement.
Some parents resolve the issues on their own.
Others ask a counselor to help, work with attorneys or use mediation. It offers many advantages because you control the decision-making process. Mediation is available in all states, either through the court or from private practitioners, and has become popular because it is less adversarial than courtroom litigation. Send us feedback . Inc. 30 years of providing quality legal information.