A divorcing parent will often have fears about the future of their relationship with their child. If the family structure was traditional and one parent stayed at home whilst the other worked full time, it’s likely the working parent will have concerns about the level of their future involvement. Will they be judged because they weren’t as involved in the day-to-day care? The stay at home parent may also worry that they may be forced to go back to work full-time and that this might negatively impact the children. Such fears can lead to each becoming positional and this can cause conflict. The full-time working parent may fear the other parent will stop them seeing the children or will limit time to such an extent that it damages the relationship. The stay at home parent may argue that the other wasn’t very involved when they lived together and that they don’t understand why they are now insisting they spend much more time with the children. They may feel that their role is no longer valued. Obviously, there are numerous family models, and each will experience unique concerns.
Communication When Divorcing
When parents decide to separate, communication may have broken down or become strained. Mediation creates a safe space for parents to work on improving their communication. They can share their concerns with one another and know they will be heard. At a recent mediation session, a father explained that he was ‘terrified’ that his relationship with his children would be irreparably damaged now he was no longer living in the same household as them. He had proposed child arrangements that meant that he would spend considerably more time with the children than he ever had before. His wife was frustrated; she had often asked him to spend more time away from the office when they were a couple. Now they had separated he was suggesting she return to work and he reduce his hours and provide some of the childcare. She felt he was dismissing her role. The wife said they had agreed to a traditional relationship and she had given up a well-paid career to be a full-time mother to their four children for the last 12 years. She worried about the impact on the children if she returned to work when they were also dealing with the breakdown of their parents’ marriage. The husband said that he needed her to return to work so that he could take reduced hours so that he could spend more meaningful time with the children. In mediation I helped them to explore each other’s concerns and fears in greater detail. They both loved their children very much and each feared the divorce would result in child arrangements that could negatively impact their relationship with the children. The husband explained that sharing a home fulltime with the children had meant that he had been able to touch base with them in the mornings and evenings and that he had spent quality time with them at weekends. His biggest fear was that he would only see them every other weekend and their close bond would deteriorate. The wife reassured him that it was very important to her that the children maintained a strong relationship with him. She expressed her concerns about returning to work; she worried about the impact on the children if she no longer did the school runs. She viewed the school runs in the same way that he had viewed touching base with the children in the mornings and evenings. They continued to share their fears and concerns in a way they hadn’t been able to outside the mediation room. The husband made it clear he wasn’t asking her to work full time and stop the school runs. This led to them together making child arrangements that they felt would help the children to cope with the changes that lay ahead. The wife found a role which allowed her to still cover all morning drop offs and a couple of afternoons. This paid less than the husband had hoped, but he was still able to slightly reduce his hours (and work from home one day a week), so he could collect the children from school twice a week. They listened and compromised so the children didn’t suffer.
So Why Does Mediation Resolve Issues That Parents Can’t?
Often at intake a parent tells me that they fear mediation won’t work as they have repeatedly told the other parent how they feel, and it has fallen on deaf ears. A mediator doesn’t have a magic wand. However, their impartiality allows them to create an environment where each parent can be listened to. Outside mediation during a difficult conversation one may have walked away, or an argument may have ensued. The mediator makes sure the discussions are fair and each parent has an opportunity to express themselves clearly. It’s not an easy solution – it’s hard work and painful at times. However, it lays important foundations for respectful parental communication. Parents won’t always agree and that’s normal regardless of whether they are a couple or separated. Each parent needs to grieve for the end of their relationship, and this takes time. Mediation enables couples to have difficult conversations at a time when emotions are running high and it’s too hard to resolve issues without the support of a professional.
When times are difficult it can be helpful to think about the future. What will your child thank you for handling well? How can you ensure that you will both be there for major events such as a graduation, wedding or even a grandchild’s 1st birthday? Nothing worth having comes without effort and that includes a healthy co-parenting relationship after divorce.
Author: Sara Stoner, Family Mediator, Broxbourne & Potters Bar
Call us on 01908 231132 or Email: info@focus-mediation.co.uk for further information or to book a Mediation Information & Assessment Meeting (MIAM) (11 Locations: Milton Keynes, Bedford, Broxbourne, Hemel Hempstead, London, Northampton, Oxford, Potters Bar, St Albans, Harrow and Watford).
Read more about family mediation at: www.focus-mediation.co.uk
