Because child support is determined by statutory guidelines, parents can often come to agreements quickly and in a clear-cut way. After all, simply put, the courts mandate it. However, the argument is often heard that child support isn’t really being used to benefit the children. It always seems “too much to pay” and “too little to receive.”
Furthermore, child support gets more complicated when incomes fluctuate or when parenting plans are not yet decided. Mediation is well suited to resolve child support disputes, whether simple or complex. Mediation Around The Table uses a unique approach when mediating child support. Rather than just looking at child support as a mandated court figure, our approach encourages parents to consider all the needs and interests of the child. Not just the basic primal needs but also the social, intellectual and extra-curricular needs as well. We help parents create a child support budget that satisfies all of these needs. Once that budget is established, factors such as income levels and other aspects of the parenting plan can be considered when determining not only an adequate and fair child support plan but also one that can maintain the dignity of both parents in the eyes of the children, a factor that becomes apparent to children as they mature to adulthood and reflect on the role each parent played in the various aspects of their upbringing.
This also means that circumstances frequently change as children mature and mediation is well suited to resolve future child support modifications efficiently while continuing to keep the best interest of the child in mind.
