We can probably all admit to a time when we contemplated things we would like to do to someone who has hurt us or made us to suffer in some way. Whether it’s keying someone’s car or ruining their reputation in a Facebook rant, the idea of exacting revenge can feel sweet. In separation and divorce the need for revenge can be overwhelming! Sweet, sweet revenge!
The amount of pressure we put on Christmas to provide us with a picture perfect family moment is crazy! It’s as if we expect all of our family relationships to suddenly transform into the stuff that holiday movies are made of.
In our every day conversations we ask others a lot of “closed” questions. Closed questions are ones that only require a “yes” or “no” answer. Yes or no really doesn’t give us much information and we’re often missing out on crucial pieces of info that could help us to resolve something.
If you have teens in your house then I’m sure you’ve had at least a few moments of frustration. Those moments of frustration have likely, in some cases, lead to conflict between you and your teen. Wouldn’t it be great to have a few tricks up your sleeve to deal with these conflicts more effectively?
After separation one of the first things parents often tackle is their parenting schedule, meaning, how much time will the kids spend with each parent. When asked why they have set up a schedule in a particular way parents often talk about the kids’ activities, work schedules and school schedules.
In Family Mediation the issue of what to do with the family home is a hot topic. The family home is often a couple’s biggest asset. Besides the financial value there is often an emotional value attached to it. Sometimes working through the emotional piece is harder than figuring out the financial piece.
Along with a parenting plan, property division is the other area where much of mediation time is spent. Questions abound in this area. How do we decide who gets what? Do we just split it 50/50? What am I entitled to?
Often, for parents, it is a bittersweet time. We are saying goodbye to the more carefree days of summer but also secretly yearning for the structure and routine that September can bring.
Yes, you can. You don’t have to be getting along in order to choose mediation for your separation. In fact, it’s very common that parents who come into mediation are not getting along and are not able to have productive conversations on their own.
Elder Mediation is a process that people are becoming more and more aware of as a valuable and effective way to resolve conflict that can arise in families as parents age. Unfortunately, what is often missed is that Elder Mediation can be used to prevent conflict. Lawyers, professionals and families often do not understand this preventative aspect of Elder Mediation.
