We are coming up to the holiday season, with half-term almost upon us and then the (hopefully sunny) summer holidays.
The very organised have booked their leave well in advance, chosen the hotel or resort, and booked and paid for their summer holidays already – for them half the fun is looking forward to the holidays. The more spontaneous will leave it to the last minute – weeks, days or even hours before they set off. Everyone has their own way of getting away for a break.
But what happens in separated families, where one parent wants to book well in advance and the other wants to be more spontaneous?
When relationships end, communication and co-operation is often the first thing to go, leading to misunderstanding and miscommunication. Things that can be talked about and agreed in a relationship look very different after the separation or once relationships have deteriorated.
Parents spend time and money planning and thinking about their holidays with their children, they want it to be a success and build a store of happy memories. So, it makes sense, and is as important, that parents spend time planning how the holiday will work with their ex-partner, and keep them informed.
Coming to mediation to discuss arrangements for holidays works because it is a calm space in which parents can talk about possibilities and plans, and also about the future. The focus of the mediation is on reaching an arrangement that works for the children and the separated parents.
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