The most important thing I did was that I had my lawyer include a statement in the mediation agreement that stated that the parents have to consider to the wishes of the children when it comes to where (which parent) they want to stay with at any given time. We have 50-50 custody, but that the clause in the mediation agreement is like gold. It's a good thing to consider if you're the better parent.
Like you, we were also separated. Coffee needs to strongly consider the tie-breakers before going into the mediation. For me, I made sure I got education (meaning I decide which school and other education-related things) as a priority, reason being is that she can't move them, period. I also got the extracurricular activities. The ex got medical issues and religion.
There are moments in this life when you are so confident in the rightness of your actions, that not even for a second do you consider the option that you might be wrong.
