The Bad News about Divorce and Children Is Worse than We Thought, but the Good News Is Better than We Thought

Abstract

I discuss new findings on the association between parenting time with father and father-child relationships in young adulthood, and on the association between father-child relationships in young adulthood and serious physical health problems in later adulthood. I also discuss new findings on public opinion showing strong support for equal parenting time, but also strong belief that family courts are biased toward awarding parenting to mothers. However, indications are that support for equal parenting time has permeated the courts in at least one state (Arizona) in the US, suggesting that the public belief that family courts are biased toward mothers may be unwarranted elsewhere also. I conclude with an illustration of how custody policy can be reformed to legitimize equal parenting time without sacrificing necessary oversight and individualization.