10/08/2026
Spotted this on the wall at Lincoln District Court and had to stop and read it twice.
It was written by kids, ages 9 to 14, in a divorce support group at the Kids First Center in Portland. Twenty years later, it's still some of the best co-parenting advice I've seen.
A few that hit hardest:
• Check with the kids before making decisions about them.
• Don't fight over us or objects, and treat us like persons.
• Don't put kids in the middle.
• Don't influence the kids to dislike the other parent.
• Take more time with new relationships.
• Don't break promises.
And #13: "Get ORGANIZED!" (They're not wrong.)
Divorce changes the shape of a family. It doesn't have to take away a child's sense of safety. That's a big part of why mediation is such a big part of the family law process — the less the adults fight, the less the kids have to carry.
If you're facing a divorce or custody decision in York County, Cumberland County, or southern New Hampshire, we're here to help you get through it with less conflict.
