Determining Parent Visitation Outside the Courtroom in California

At Zwierzchowski & Nguyen, our Certified Family Lawyers in Long Beach understand that determining child custody, including where your children will live, and who is going to have visitation rights, is one of the most difficult processes of a California divorce.

When parents do not want to invite the family court or California Child Support Services into their personal lives, they can prioritize the needs of their children during mediation negotiations that will streamline their decisions and keep things amicable throughout the process.

Here is how.

Make the Decision to Place Your Children First

Splitting your children’s time is a difficult subject. However, you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse know better than anyone else how to arrive at a fair agreement that benefits your children.

No matter the tensions your divorce has brought to light, focus on the fact that your children need both of their parents in their lives to thrive.

Next, create parenting goals that place your kids’ needs first.

Consider where they go to school, their extra-curricular activities, and where their support systems are available when developing a strategy that allows them to continue enjoying the quality of life they had before the divorce.

If you hit a roadblock, our divorce and child custody mediator will facilitate healthy discussions that end in real solutions in real-time, so you can all move forward with confidence that you have made the right decisions.

Work Together to Draft a Parenting Plan

A mutual parenting plan allows both parents to have honest conversations about their schedules and involvement in the kids’ day-to-day lives, so their overall custody and visitation needs are the priority.

Parenting plans created during mediation are designed to keep both parents from making irrational decisions while they focus on the true and relevant needs of their children.

That is not to say there will not be some uncomfortable conversations, but that is what the mediator is there for — to guide the dialogue in a healthy, solution-focused direction.

Parenting plans are crucial to successful co-parenting after a divorce, and provide details regarding parenting goals, schedules, contact arrangements, and each parents’ responsibilities going forward.

Partner with Trusted Mediation Professionals Who Can Help

At Zwierzchowski & Nguyen, our Certified Family Mediators in Los Angeles and Orange County are dedicated to delivering complete mediation solutions to help parents resolve their custody and visitation disputes in less time and at a lesser expense than traditional litigation.

If you are considering divorce but want to keep your custody dispute out of the courtroom, contact our child custody attorneys in Long Beach to discuss your case by contacting Zwierzchowski & Nguyen at 562-426-6522 to learn more about your legal options, so you can begin planning your and your children’s futures with confidence.