Photo of Professionals at Weinberg, Kaplan & Smith, P.A.
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What should I do to prepare for mediation?

On Behalf of | Jan 6, 2021 | Divorce Mediation

Divorce mediation requires a lot of hard work on your part. It is a process that puts everything under the control of you and your spouse. If you fail to work together and put effort into the process, it will not work.

With that in mind, it is a good idea to prepare for mediation. The Academy of Professional Family Mediators recommends that you try to set goals and prepare information so that when you have your first meeting it goes as smoothly as possible.

Put children first

Going into mediation with the mentality that your children are the most important focus can help you and your spouse to avoid common arguments or situations that can stall negotiations. It also makes for a better environment for your children if you and your spouse can keep this mindset from here on out. Children often get the worst of the situation because they do not get to make decisions and rarely have a say in what happens, so you need to be their advocates.

Know what and why

As you think about your goals, you need to determine what you want and why you want it. Being able to explain why you want something will make it easier to negotiate. Your spouse may not understand your point of view, but if you can articulate your desires, it can help you to reach agreements more quickly. It can also enable you to understand your spouse’s position, which is also beneficial.

Organize your finances

Since finances will be a huge part of your negotiations, it makes sense to get them in order before you go into mediation. Make sure you have a record of all assets. Determine which ones you feel are separate property with evidence backing this up. You can even go ahead and find values for assets so you have a general idea of your complete financial picture.