It’s All In The Agreement!

I like chocolate chip cookie dough. She likes chocolate chip cookies. Instead of baking ALL of the cookies, there is always a little bit of cookie dough left over for me (or my kids if they find out about it). When going through a divorce mediation may be a requirement. In mediation, the mediator tries to find the compromise so that both parties get a little bit of something that they want. In my example, I do not get the entire bowl of cookie dough and she does not get a full plate of cookies. We each get a little bit of something that we each want. So how does it work in mediation?

When it comes to property I have my clients make a list of the most important items that they want and I try to make sure they get those items. Then we work through the less important items. By the time we get to that point both parties are realizing that they got what was most important and the other items are minor in comparison.

When it comes to children there are many factors that come into play. Sometimes it is the distance and trying to make sure that both parties CAN actually exercise their possession time. Sometimes it comes to odd work schedules that need to be crafted around. Sometimes it is that both parents have been and will continue to be heavily involved in their children’s lives so we have to ensure frequent contact with the children.

Ultimately, when you walk out of mediation you will not feel like you got the full bowl of cookie dough or the full plate of cookies, but you should walk away with what works for both of you.