Mediating issues related to communication about children
Separated couples often have difficulty communicating effectively. Reasons for this state of affairs are many but include the fact that often strong emotions like anger, disappointment, mistrust and even hopes for vengeance spill into the couple’s dealings with one another. Separated parents can also find communication challenging and this time, their difficulties in this area can truly impact how they parent and whether their children’s needs are actually being met.
I often encounter parents who have trouble coping with what they perceive as a barrage of emails or texts from the other parent. They feel compelled to answer immediately, even in the middle of a work-day. Such responses, sent under pressure, are often not ideal. Neither are the replies and the cycle of miscommunication continues.
Parenting is an issue I mediate quite often and yes, the subject of communication comes up a lot. In the context of #familymediation, which provides a safe and structured platform for a dynamic discussion, I can work with parents on ways to communicate as effectively as possible. For some couples, a highly structured arrangement, that includes timelines for messages sent and responses provided, works best. For others, meetings in a neutral place to discuss parenting issues over the last couple of weeks works better. There are many options here, as many as there are couples who are parenting. We can tailor arrangements to what works best for you and the other parent. The key is to make the exchanges as angst-free and effective as possible, so your children benefit.
I believe that effective communication is the foundation of any functioning relationship. You may no longer like the other parent or trust them but if you have children together, chances are you will have to communicate with each other about them for some time to come. Is that communication effective? If not, consider that an issue for family mediation.
Read more about our services here.
©AJJakubowska
