For unmarried and divorcing parents, determing how to divide a child’s time between the two parents is often a gut-wrenching decision. Recently, MFFN made a policy decision to endorse a number of tools that would support parents in making this decision. We cite a variety of tools that could support the child, lower animosity between the parents, and enable both parents to be involved with their children in a healthy and active way (see more here).
MFFN does not support a legal presumption of joint physical custody because it has not been found to be the “silver bullet” to support the involvement of fathers in the lives of their children. For example, in Australia, parents that engaged in a child inclusive mediation often agreed to split time unevenly (with fathers often agreeing on less than 35% of the child’s time). Yet, these fathers expressed more satisfaction than fathers who didn’t have a child inclusive intervention (more here). We believe that families should be presented with various options and resources to facilitate positive parenting time decisions.
Currently, Minnesota does require a 25% minimum parenting time standard for most families. We believe this is a good start toward increasing healthy father-child involvement. And we think there are other effective tools that could be implemented to continue supporting families to make good decisions about co-parenting after divorce or separation.
Keep of the good work, MN Fathers!
Comment by Brad — June 26, 2010 @ 6:07 pm
You completely miss the point; the goal is to correct an equal rights injustice in which the courts have consistantly presumed the mother is the better parent and thus award parenting time in favor of the mother.
In today’s society…this cannot stand.
Nothing will be solved until we start seeing equal number of decisions where parenting time is awarded in favor of the father.
Comment by Scot — July 27, 2010 @ 5:29 pm