The Case for Shared Parenting and Joint Physical Custody - It's About The Kids!
This list will be updated on a regular basis as new sources are compiled. If you have a resource that is not listed here please email us at [email protected] so that we can promptly add it.
Children have a fundamental right to be loved, guided, nurtured and educated equally by both fit and willing parents - to deny this is child abuse.
Download SharedParentingFactsandFiction.pdf Shared Parenting Facts and Fiction by Dr. Linda Nielsen Professor of Women Studies and ACFC President
Download bauserman_jointcustodyversussolecustodymetaanalysis_jfp_2003.pdf
"Father hunger " often afflicts boys age one and two whose fathers are suddenly
and permanently absent. Sleep disturbances, such as trouble falling asleep,
nightmares, and night terrors frequently begin within one to three months after
the father leaves home.
(Source: Alfred A. Messer, "Boys Father Hunger: The Missing Father Syndrome",
Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality, January 1989.)
"This research discovers that children--especially daughters--benefit considerably when the parent they are not living with nevertheless does everyday things with the child, from 'shopping, reading, visiting, doing homework, watching TV together,' to 'spending holidays together.' The authors conclude that, for a school-age daughter, this 'doing everyday-type things together' with the parent she is not living with is the only predictor of psychological well-being.
(K. Alison Clarke-Stewart and Craig Hayward, "Advantages of Father Custody and Contact for the Psychological Well-Being of School-Age Children," Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, Vol. 17, No. 2, April-June 1996, p. 239
"Father-deprivation is a more reliable predictor of criminal activity than race, environment or poverty.
Father-deprived children are:
1. 72% of all teenage murderers.
2. 60% of rapists.
3. 70% of kids incarcerated.
4. twice as likely to quit school.
5. 11 times more likely to be violent.
6. 3 of 4 teen suicides.
7. 80% of the adolescents in psychiatric hospitals.
8. 90% of runaways
(Sources: National Fatherhood Initiative, US Bureau of Census, FBI)
"States with high levels of joint physical custody awards (over 30%) in 1989 and 1990 have shown significantly greater declines in divorce rates in following years through 1995, compared with other states. Divorce rates declined nearly four times faster in high joint custody states, compared with states where joint physical custody is rare. As a result, the states with high levels of joint custody now have significantly lower divorce rates on average than other states. States that favored sole custody also had more divorces involving children. These findings indicate that public policies promoting sole custody may be contributing to the high divorce rate."
(John Guibaldi, D.Ed., "Child Custody Policies and Divorce Rates in the US", 11th Annual Conference of the Children's Rights Council, OCT 23-26, 1997, Washington, D.C.)
"…children raised by a divorced single parent are significantly more likely than average to have problems in school, run away from home, develop drug dependency, or experience other serious problems…"
(John Guibaldi, D.Ed., "Child Custody Policies and Divorce Rates in the US", 11th Annual Conference of the Children's Rights Council, OCT 23-26, 1997, Washington, D.C.)
"…the states with high levels of joint custody had significantly lower divorce rates four years later. States with higher levels of joint custody had an average four-year decline in the divorce rate approximately double that for states with medium levels of joint custody. On a percentage basis, between 1989 and 1994 the rate in the High joint custody group declined by 8%, in the Medium group by 4%, and in the Low group by less than 1%."
(John Guibaldi, D.Ed., "Child Custody Policies and Divorce Rates in the US", 11th Annual Conference of the Children's Rights Council, OCT 23-26, 1997, Washington, D.C.)
"Father-deprivation is a serious form of child abuse that is institutionalized and entrenched within our legal system. Powerful sexist people in Canada have a vested interest in diminishing the role of men, especially their role as fathers. Research proves that children thrive with the active and meaningful participation of both biological parents, and is true even for post-divorce families."
(Dick Feeman, Joseph Maiello, Mike Jebbet, "Child Custody or Child Abuse", Victoria Times-Colonist, Jan 8, 1998).
"By presuming joint custody as early as possible in the court process, parties are impelled to attend to the child's needs, thereby encouraging mature behavior and discouraging divisive, childish conflict. Shared parenting with mutual responsibility -- joint custody -- is in the best interest of the child, parents, society, and the court system. Those courts can assist the parents in settling their own disagreements by providing a context for negotiation and helping to mold specific child-centered joint custody agreements."
(Potash, Marlin S., Ph.D. : Psychological Support for a Rebuttable Presumption of Joint Custody : Probate Law Journal, Vol. 4, 17, 1982)
Boys in joint custody were significantly better adjusted than boys in sole custody
(Pojman, 1982)
Joint custody fathers were significantly more involved than sole custody fathers and indicated less court use
(Bowman, 1983)
Children were "thriving", not just "adjusting" in JMC
(Roman & Haddad, 1978);
Children in single mother custody show significant behavior problems
(Touliatos & Lindholm, 1980)
In comparative tests, joint custody boys were better adjusted than maternal custody boys.
(Shiller, 1984)
Children whose parents shared residential care of the child were rated better adjusted by their mothers.
(Cowan, 1982)
Parents with joint physical custody are less likely to litigate than parents with only joint legal custody. Joint custody parents are less likely to litigate when they are must bargain in the shadow of a strong joint custody statute.
(Alexander, Ilfeld, & Ilfeld, 1982)
Joint custody awards appear particularly beneficial to mothers.
(Hanson, 1986)
When parents were asked to imagine themselves in one of three custody situations, the sole custody arrangement when compared to the joint custody one encouraged punitive behavior and concern for self-interest.
(Patrician, 1984)
Fewer joint custody cases than sole custody cases were relitigated.
(Phear, Bech, Hauser, Clark, & Whitney, 1984)
Children from joint custody families were more satisfied with time spent with each parent than children from sole custody families.
(Welsh-Osga, 1981)
Negative feelings are intensified for children in sole custody families.
(Karp, 1982)
Of 28 families mediated into joint custody over their sole custody wishes, none returned to court for litigation. Joint custody awards over the objection of one parent have proven successful.
(Irving, Benjamin, & Trocme, 1984).
61% of all child abuse is committed by biological mothers
25% of all child abuse is committed by natural fathers
(Statistical Source: Current DHHS report on nationwide Child Abuse)
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Posted by: Nancy Lankford | February 29, 2008 at 09:36 PM
Wow, I must be naive... I assumed that my ex and I would just make arrangements for 50/50 custody, but she will not without a fight.
Here I arrive after many months of research, to find that most men are scared to fight for what they feel is right. (Perhaps some don't really want to have the responsibility, and some are trying to save moeny.)
However, I am finding many "decent" and loving fathers who have horrible stories to tell... all I need to know is "what" we need to do to get "joint physical custody" added as the norm rather than this non-sensical view that men should not or can not parent.
I'll be reading and reviewing the posts here to continue learning as I prepare for an up-hill battle.
Posted by: Robert.T.S. | December 01, 2008 at 09:23 PM