Its nearly Christmas.
Billie has finished school for the year and is enjoying the school holiday break. Cameron’s preschool program has ended for the year.
Billie’s marks at school slipped this year. Billie found it hard during home-schooling and has mentioned to both Blake and Charlie that private tutoring for Maths and Science is likely to be needed next year, given the move to year 11. Billie is still interested in pursuing medicine and needs this assistance to achieve the marks required for university.
Regular tutoring comes at a significant cost and both parents are time poor and aren’t sure how they are going to manage these appointments. They have tried to talk about it but things end up in a heated argument.
Cameron is starting school next year. Cameron’s pre-school teachers have told both parents separately that they are concerned that Cameron is not ready for school next year. Blake thinks that Cameron is ready for school and Charlie doesn't. Charlie is worried about Cameron who is still not sleeping through the night and wetting the bed. Charlie feels that Cameron’s behaviours are also escalating.
Blake and Charlie have tried to negotiate their property division and they are stuck on issues of disclosure. Blake has suggested mediation to Charlie and Charlie is not sure what this means or what it will be like. Given all discussions end in agreements Charlie isn't even certain that they could talk to each other and feels that they might need to go to Court.
Fortunately, Blake and Charlie have agreed about Christmas arrangements for the children in that they will see both parents on the actual day and then continue with the regular routine.
Blake and Charlie are exhausted. It has been a difficult year. They have decided to have a break for two weeks over Christmas from parenting and property discussions, both mindful that decisions about Cameron's schooling next year have to be made. Cameron has been enrolled in a local school in the Orange area, however, both parents are not in agreement about this.
Blake has asked Charlie to look into mediation and Charlie has agreed that during this break they will find out more about what mediation is.