You might consider divorce a private matter between you and your spouse. Yet, many people have an investment in your marriage. So, while you and your spouse are the only ones who can decide how you handle your divorce, consider how your choice will affect others.
When you litigate your divorce, it is impossible not to drag other people into it. Mediation takes a gentler approach. Instead of fighting it out in court, you and your spouse work together to find a way to end your relationship.
Meditation benefits you, your family and your friends
Mediation can allow you to end one relationship without destroying others. Let’s look at how mediating your divorce will affect various groups of people:
- You and your spouse: Mediation is quicker than litigation, so it allows you to move on sooner and save money in legal fees. It also allows you to retain decision-making ability. When you go to litigation, it is the judge who makes the decisions.
- Your children: Conflict between parents damages children, and litigation is more conflict-filled than mediation. Aside from this, mediation will leave you with more time and energy to parent your child. It will also make it easier to communicate in the future about child-related matters.
- Your family: Marriages can lead to strong inter-family bonds. If your marriage ends with you and your spouse flinging allegations around in court, it makes it harder for your families to preserve these valued relationships.
- Your friends: Your individual friends will stick with you after divorce, and your spouse’s personal friends will stick with them, but your joint friends will be in a difficult situation. If you mediate your divorce and can still get on with your spouse afterward, it makes it easier for these friends to keep you both in their social circles.
Understanding more about the different ways to handle your divorce can help you choose the best method for you.
