PARENTING TIME & DECISION-MAKING : PUTTING CHILDREN’S INTERESTS FIRST
When parents decide to separate or divorce, the welfare of the children is often the most pressing concern. Because of its special importance, it is usually the most highly charged issue that has to be settled. As a parent, the instinctive desire to protect your children and make sure they will be fine is so strong that the emotions can hinder the ability to come up with practical solutions that accomplish those goals. At Gunn Law Group, we adopt a child-centered approach, which means the best interests of your children are always paramount. This is another reason we prefer focussing on collaborative approaches to resolution of issues rather than litigation.
Your children are depending on you as parents to find a way to keep both of you in their lives. Both collaborative law and mediation allow you and your spouse, along with your lawyers, to come up with creative ideas that will enhance, rather than detract from, your relationship with your children. Sole, joint, split and shared custody may all be explored. Together, we help you come up with a parenting order that allows your children to continue to flourish even though the family structure has changed. The drafting of a good parenting order takes time, effort, patience and sensitivity but your children are well worth it.
The overhaul of the federal Divorce Act took effect in January 2020 and, in keeping with the new approach being promoted by various levels of governments and our courts, we strive to ensure that our language parallels that of the developing legislation and jurisprudence. In addition, we at Gunn Law Group agree that “custody”, “access” or “visitation” rights made children sound like property to be fought over. Shifting the focus to parenting time and decision-making reinforces that the two parents, while maybe no longer together, will hopefully function as a parenting team to their children in the future.
