Co-parents are divorced for a reason, so it is not uncommon that disagreements over parenting rules may arise. Every time there is a co-parent disagreement after the dotted line is signed in the divorce agreement and the waiting period has lapsed, it is a tedious, expensive, emotional process to keep going back to Court. Here are three alternatives to Court:
Depending on your relationship with your co-parent, you may want to hire a parent advisor. Many licensed therapists and coaches offer co-parenting counseling and coaching, helping parents work through challenges in a structured environment.
Under Probate and Family Court Standing Order 323, effective February 12, 2024, all parents involved in cases with minor children must complete the court-approved coparenting course called Two Families Now, unless the requirement is waived.
There are a few types of mediation programs that may work best for your situation depending on your budget, the controversy, a joint agreement, and in some cases, eligibility.
The Massachusetts Parent Mediation Program, run through UMass Boston and supported by the Department of Revenue’s Child Support Enforcement, offers voluntary, confidential, and low cost mediation focused on parenting plans, visitation, and coparenting access.
You can also choose a community option for a mediator such as MA Council on Family Mediation. Check out their website here!
Lastly, there are lawyers who are experienced mediators as well, who can provide services on an hourly basis.
If you have a relationship with your co-parent where you can co-exist in the same room, then it is highly recommended to first try setting up a meeting to see if you can meet in the middle on your own.
Preparing for the meeting by outlining your reasons for creating any rules your co-parent disagrees with is highly recommended. In order to allow both sides to say their reasons, it is imperative that each parent lets the other parent speak while listening. If the conversation gets heated or if it is clear there is no meeting of the minds, then you can resort to option 1 or option 2 above.
For more, check out this other blog post written by me.
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