"New Study Punctures Myth of Uncaring Divorced Dad"

Newsday ^ | 6/23/03 | Glenn Sacks

[PercivalWalks]

New Study Punctures Myth of Uncaring Divorced Dad

By Glenn Sacks

Divorced dads often contend that the largest factor precluding them from playing a significant, positive role in their children's lives is not willful neglect but instead that that they are often prevented from being involved with their kids. A large body of published research supports this contention, and a new study of children of divorce may help lay to rest the myth of the uncaring divorced dad.

According to this new research, adjusting for income and standard of living, divorced fathers who have been able to remain a part of their children's lives because they have joint custody voluntarily contribute even more to their children's college education than the children's mothers do. In an article recently published in Family Court Review, Arizona State University researchers William Fabricius, Sanford Braver and Kindra Deneau called legal custody arrangements (joint vs. sole maternal) a "dramatic" and largely causal factor in projecting voluntary financial support.

The researchers noted that "fathers' contributions steadily increased with the amount of access they had to their children" and that custodial mothers' willingness to allow divorced dads to remain a part of their children's lives during their childhoods plays a crucial role in determining how much voluntary college assistance fathers will provide.

Earlier research by Braver found that divorced dads who have jobs and who can see their kids rarely skip out on their child support obligations, and that "parental disenfranchisement"--fathers' feelings that they have been stripped of the right to act as true parents to their children--has a large and harmful effect on child support compliance.

Braver's research simply reflects common sense--parents are far more willing to work and sacrifice to support children whom they can love and be loved by than they are for kids whom they cannot see. However, family courts have been blind to the obvious, and while a massive enforcement bureaucracy pursues divorced dads for child support, courts do little to enforce these fathers' access to their children. According to the Children's Rights Council, a Washington-based advocacy group, more than five million children each year have their access to their noncustodial parents interfered with or blocked by custodial parents.

This new research powerfully suggests the need for egalitarian divorce measures such as the presumption of joint legal and physical custody of children after a divorce and the enforcement of visitation orders. Children need the love, strength and guidance that fathers give. They also need their financial support. Reforms that allow divorced dads to remain a meaningful part of their children's lives will supply both.

This column first appeared in the Newsday (6/23/03).

Glenn Sacks is a men's and fathers' issues columnist and radio talk show host. His columns have appeared in dozens of America's largest newspapers. His radio show, His Side with Glenn Sacks, can be heard every Sunday on KRLA 870 AM in Los Angeles.

Glenn can be reached via his website, at www.GlennSacks.com or by e-mail at Glenn@GlennSacks.com.

[buccaneer81]

Good article.

[Jeff Chandler]

Children need the love, strength and guidance that fathers give.

In another tax dollar-funded study, it has been determined that most plants require sunlight.

[friendly]

bttt

[umgud]

I had a nasty divorce many years ago, but I was able to keep all four of my kids, who I raised myself with no help from ther mother. I know people who weren't so lucky.

[farmfriend]

Dad rights ping.

[Fraulein]

My parents were divorced, and although we lived with my mother, I was always closer to my father than with my mother. He was more supportive of me, and generally much more of a parent to me. The quality of our time spent together won out over the quantity of time that we didn't. It possible to remain an excellent father, despite divorce. My father was one such example.

[freedumb2003]

>>In another tax dollar-funded study, it has been determined that most plants require sunlight. <<

Yeah, well the Left (which has all but won the argument that Men Are Bad) will point out that plants that have been fed regular BS also thrive.

This battleground has been abandoned by the right. We have Dr. Laura and a handful of divorced fathers over here. I wish we could marshall the forces (and I don't even have kids).

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[cavtrooper21]

You know, this study is really nice, but what do we do about the kids of uncaring / could-give-a-damn-less dads like mine was. I grew up pretty well, but the institutions that helped fill the gap (Scouts,Big Brothers, Legion Baseball) are rapidly falling into the great all-encompassing maw of litigation, genderbending and the demosocalist's favorite word: diversification. Even the last refuge of the church has been damaged.
I"m glad that my mom worked as hard as she did to provide me with not only a roof but a chance to develope as young man.

[FITZ]

Probably divorce laws need to change ----we can't keep people forced in marriages but improvements could be made so children aren't the ones having to pay the price. I think children in a divorce where the adults are reasonable and don't try to make them take sides or force their bitterness on them most likely turn out fine.

[Jeff Chandler]

This battleground has been abandoned by the right.

The problem is that a large portion of the right are socially liberal, and consider those who take such things as parenthood seriously to be an embarassment.

[Z in Oregon]

Poor comparision, Mr. Chandler. What good was said about fathers is often denied and obfuscated; what good you said about the suppliers of plant needs is denied by no one.

[farmfriend]

Men are denied many rights, the right to fatherhood being one of many but maybe the most important. Women's right to procreation is set in law but men's rights are often superceded by that very same law. What happened to equal protection under the law? It doesn't count for men.

[farmfriend]

Blam the womens movement not the men. Men have no rights in this country. I'm one of the few on this forum who will take a stand on this issue. An avowed masculinist but female.

[kms61]

Exactly. My stepniece's father lives in the same TOWN as she does, but they rarely see each other. He has a new family and she's not part of it. At least he pays child support.

[Slyfox]

The only person I know who successfully got joint custody is a friend of mine who also is a millionaire. He's a great dad, but if were not for his kick-ass lawyer he'd be just like all the other dad's who would like to help raise their kids despite an onry ex-wife.

On the other hand, I have a sister-in-law who's first husband kicked her out of the house when she became pregnant with their first child. He didn't want any children and she 'dared' to become pregnant. I have never asked how he got out of paying child support, but it was just as well, she married my brother and he adopted her sweet little baby.

[Jeff Chandler]

Poor comparision, Mr. Chandler. What good was said about fathers is often denied and obfuscated; what good you said about the suppliers of plant needs is denied by no one.

Truth is not determined by what people say.

The fact that it takes taxpayer-funded studies to discover the bloody obvious speaks volumes about our educated elite.

[Jeff Chandler]

What happened to equal protection under the law? It doesn't count for men.

If we men are to assume the position of the aggrieved, we must also be willing to accept our share of the responsibility for the current social conditions. In exchange for ubiquitous casual sex, we have acquiesced to the rupturing of the social contract with the fairer sex. In other words, in order to get screwed (literally) outside the bonds of marriage, we have enabled ourselves to get screwed (figuratively) when those bonds cannot hold. The battle of the sexes has become a real battle. Pity.

[farmfriend]

It's not that I disagree with you, because I don't for the most part, but what I am talking about goes way beyond sex. I'm talking about society as a whole. There are many things we do to our men that done to blacks or Jews alone would be considered racist or down right genocidal but we think nothing of it when it is just men. They have become the disposable sex. When slavery was abolished, men stepped into or were forced into the roll.