“I came through this process feeling better about myself and about my husband than when we began. I never would have thought it possible that we did so much valuable work in so short a time. You will long be remembered for helping us take care of ourselves and our child – today, tomorrow, and for all of the tomorrows that we shall live.”

A. Mitchell

IMPACT ON CHILDREN

Helping Children with Divorce

The long-term research on divorce suggests that while divorce causes distress in children, it need not cause disorder. Divorce is painful for children, but it need not damage them. It is not the fact that you are getting divorced that will affect your children as much as how you go about this divorce. Ongoing conflict between you and your spouse is what is most damaging to your children. Click here to see some of the results about parenting and children in divorce from the most comprehensive study of divorce in America.

Parents and Divorce

You don't want your children to be surprised by a sudden change. You do want your children to feel safe to ask you about their concerns and fears. Keeping trust with them is what is most important. Your children need to know that whatever is happening between you as spouses, you can reassure them that you two will be there as parents for them. How you communicate with your children is as important as what you communicate to them. Hopefully, you will talk to them together as parents, letting them know that you are not going to allow your separation as spouses to disrupt your commitment to both still be there as their parents.

It's not easy, but you can discuss your divorce with your children.

What About Child Support?

We will calculate child support guidelines for you.

Where Can I Learn More?

See our Resources section for lots of helpful information and tools for helping children with divorce, including:

Discussing divorce with your children
Research results about parenting and children in divorce
Children's Bill of Rights

The Impact of Mediation on Divorce and Parenting

To view the impact of mediation on divorce twelve years later, as documented in a research study by Dr. Robert Emery, click here.

More information can be found in Robert E. Emery's new book, The Truth about Children and Divorce (Viking, 2004).

For Better or for Worse

E. Mavis Hetherington and John Ford, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, W.W. Norton, 2002. ISBN 0393048624.

Click on the cover to find the book on Amazon.com.

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Separation and divorce are always difficult. Dealing with children and divorce requires care as they are especially vulnerable. The cost of mediation is less than collaboration law or litigation. Mediation Matters has been a leader in mediation for more than 25 years: Washington D.C., Bethesda, Rockville, Olney, Takoma Park, Chevy Chase, North Bethesda, Kensington, Silver Spring, and Potomac in Montgomery County and the surrounding communities. If you are interested in training as a mediator, we offer mediation training at our facility in Bethesda, Maryland.