Category: NPO in the media

With Missouri’s shared parenting bill signed into law by Gov. Jay Nixon taking effect Aug. 28, parents and children across the state have countless reasons to celebrate.

At its core, the law just makes sense: Children need two parents, not just one, especially in instances of divorce. A growing body of evidence shows that children desperately want and need shared parenting when their parents split. Unfortunately, sole custody remains the status quo in most states, but the research suggests that children would be better off if more states followed Missouri’s lead in passing HB 1550.

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Missouri’s new child-custody law, which takes effect today, seeks to allow children in divorce cases to have more equal time with mom and dad.

Supporters see the law as helping good fathers get more time with their children, but others question whether it will make a difference.

National Parents Organization spokesman Burton Taylor said the old law “protected inequality” in custody situations, while the new law “encourages shared custody.”

Taylor acknowledged some people going through divorce have a mistaken view of what the law will do.

“It is not a mandate,” he said. “But the sentiment of the law is to give children as close to equal time with both parents as possible.”

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The Men’s Advocate Show with Linda Gross interviews Linda Reutzel, National Parents Organization of Missouri member, and Rep. Kathy Swan about Missouri’s shared parenting bill, HB 1550.

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In early 2009, Scott Myers read through his finalized divorce settlement and felt like he had been the victim of a pre-planned robbery.

It wasn’t the child support, or the divvying up of the couple’s possessions. It was about the time he got with his children. It was so sparse, “I felt like a visitor and not a father.”

Although the circuit court judge in St. Charles County consented that day to joint custody of his two young daughters with his former wife, he was not granted equal time with them.

Nothing negative was brought up in court about his parenting, he said. He made it clear to his attorneys he wanted equal custody. Even so, the judge ruled for a fairly typical custody agreement: He would get the children every other weekend and four hours every Tuesday. Their mother would get the rest.

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A new law, formerly known as House Bill 1550, which takes effect Sunday, August 28, could impact child custody cases in Missouri.According to Jeremy Roberts with the Missouri Fathers’ Rights Movement, beginning Sunday, family courts will be required to answer eight questions to determine a custody arrangement in the best interest of the child. Questions consider which parent the child wishes to live with as well as the mental and physical health of all parties.

“Prior to this law, the courts could or could not answer those questions. This bill forces them to have to answer each one of those,” Roberts said.

More than 80 percent of child custody cases in Missouri default primary custody to the child’s mother, according to Linda Reutzel with the National Parents Organization of Missouri. Fathers are often granted visitation with their child one night each week and every other weekend.

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National Parents Organization (NPO) congratulates the Missouri legislature and Gov. Jay Nixon for acting in the best interest of children by signing the state’s bill promoting shared parenting into law. Previously known as HB 1550, the law “creates a more equalized approach to child custody and visitation,” according to the Governor’s office. The change, which takes effect Aug. 28, is based on the overwhelming amount of research showing shared parenting, or 50/50 custody, after divorce is most beneficial for children’s health and well-being, as well as parental and gender equality.

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National Women’s Equality Day, celebrated annually Aug. 26, was established in 1971 to honor the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote.

While equality for women is celebrated in this country, there are still some areas plagued with inequality. In this era of converging of gender roles, it may be surprising to learn one of those areas where inequality persists is in our family courts.

Unless they’ve been exposed to the family court system, most people are unaware a problem even exists. In fact, many people, including many of our legislators, don’t realize that the system is broken. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.

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National Parents Organization (NPO) congratulates the Missouri Legislature and Gov. Jay Nixon for acting in the best interest of children by signing the state’s bill promoting shared parenting into law.

Previously known as HB 1550, the law “creates a more equalized approach to child custody and visitation,” according to the governor’s office.

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You can’t stand your ex- spouse. The only thing you have in common is being parents to your children, right? Well, even if you don’t want to deal with your ex, Missouri law says get over it.

For the sake of your children.

The Missouri law that supports shared parenting (also called 50/50 child custody) after divorce was signed into law by Gov. Jay Nixon and takes effect Aug. 28. Previously known as HB 1550, the law “creates a more equalized approach to child custody and visitation,” according to the Governor’s office.

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On Aug. 3, the Boston Herald Drive, a Boston-based radio show hosted by Adriana Cohen and John Sapochetti, interviewed National Parents Organization founder Ned Holstein, MD, regarding shared parenting legislation in Massachusetts.