In recent years, there has been a growing movement advocating for shared parenting laws across the United States. These laws aim to promote fairness, equality, and the best interests of children by encouraging joint custody arrangements and equal parenting time for both parents post-divorce or separation. This blog article delves into the importance of passing shared parenting laws and the benefits they offer to families, children, and society as a whole.
Promoting Family Well-being: Shared parenting laws prioritize the well-being of families by recognizing the importance of both parents’ involvement in their children’s lives. Research consistently shows that children benefit from having strong relationships with both parents and maintaining regular contact with both parents post-divorce. Shared parenting laws help foster a sense of stability, continuity, and emotional support for children by ensuring that they have meaningful interactions with both parents.
Ensuring Parental Equality: Passing shared parenting laws promotes parental equality by treating both parents as equal partners in parenting responsibilities. These laws acknowledge that both mothers and fathers play important roles in their children’s upbringing and should have equal rights and opportunities to be involved in their children’s lives. By establishing a presumption of joint custody and equal parenting time, shared parenting laws help create a more equitable family law system that prioritizes fairness and fairness for all parents.
Reducing Conflict and Litigation: Shared parenting laws can help reduce conflict and litigation in custody disputes by providing clear guidelines and expectations for parenting arrangements. When parents know that joint custody and equal parenting time are the default options, they are more likely to cooperate, communicate effectively, and work together in the best interests of their children. This can lead to fewer legal battles, lower stress levels for families, and better outcomes for children.
Supporting Child Development: Research has shown that children in shared parenting arrangements tend to have better emotional, social, and academic outcomes compared to children in sole custody arrangements. Shared parenting allows children to maintain strong bonds with both parents, access support from both parents, and benefit from diverse parenting styles and perspectives. Passing shared parenting laws can therefore contribute to positive child development and well-being.
Strengthening Families and Communities: By promoting shared parenting, laws can strengthen families and communities by encouraging parental involvement, co-parenting cooperation, and shared decision-making in child-rearing. When children have positive relationships with both parents and receive support from both parents, they are more likely to grow up in stable, nurturing environments that contribute to their overall success and happiness. Strong families and communities are the foundation of a thriving society.
Some states have successfully passed true “equal shared parenting” laws in recent years, with Kentucky blazing the trail, followed by Arizona, Utah, Missouri, and Florida.
With Kentucky having the most historical data to work with (50/50 took effect in 2018), this article states “the new law’s results are spectacular.”
Here is a summary of results from the data:
- 12% reduction in family court cases filed
- Domestic violence claims reduced by 445 cases
** Kentucky had increased population
** Kentucky actually EXPANDED its definition of domestic violence
These two comments from Kentucky’s president of Parental Alienation and a family court judge sum it up:
“It’s common sense that shared parenting laws lessen parental conflict. As a domestic violence survivor who speaks with alienated mothers every day, I can personally state that Kentucky’s Shared Parenting Law is lessening domestic violence.”
“We’ve had a lot fewer — since the (shared parenting) statute, we’ve had a lot fewer disagreements about parenting time.”
When will the rest of the states see that equal shared parenting is what is in the “child’s best interest” and pass similar laws?
