Category: Press Releases

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

November 18, 2016

During Military Family Appreciation Month, National Parents Organization joins the rest of the nation to express gratitude to our military families for their service and sacrifice. While deployment is certainly challenging enough on its own, that stress can increase drastically when military parents are also dealing with child custody battles following a divorce or separation. National Parents Organization believes an additional way to provide support and appreciation for military families is not to make child custody decisions while a parent is deployed.

“The child development research is now crystal clear that children do best when their loving bonds with each parent are protected after parents separate or divorce,” says Ned Holstein, MD, founder of National Parents Organization. “Unfortunately, some active duty service members have found that the custody of their children has been changed in important ways while they were serving their country overseas and unable to be present in family court. Sometimes when they return from overseas duty, they cannot even find their children.”

To ensure child custody decisions are not made while one parent is deployed, National Parents Organization supports laws passed in states such as Michigan, California, and Nevada that provide protections for military parents. National Parents Organization believes these laws have set a good example of how things should be, and encourages more states to follow in this example to help ensure greater peace of mind for military families.

“The recent law change in Michigan is a step in the right direction – it is good for children, who will be enabled to resume their loving relations with a parent who returns from overseas military duty, and any need for a change in the parenting time arrangements can be considered then, with both parties present,” Dr. Holstein said.

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·      The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·      The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·      The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

·      63% of teen suicides;

·      70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·      71% of high school drop-outs;

·      75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·      85% of those in prison;

·      85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·      90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

PRESS RELEASE: Source alert

November 5, 2016

Amid news of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s divorce and child custody battle, child custody expert Dr. Ned Holstein, Founder and Board Chair of National Parents Organization, is available to serve as a media source on the best interests of the children.

Dr. Holstein has previously shared his expertise on the ways in which shared parenting is best for children when parents divorce with media including:

·       TIME, “This Divorce Arrangement Stresses Kids Out Most”

·       USA Today, “Report: States Fail on Shared Parenting Laws”

·       New York Daily News, “How to Tell Your Kids You’re Getting Divorced”

·       PBS (WGBH Boston), “Family Court System Under Scrutiny”

·       Huffington Post, “Involving Dads in Lives of Children Born out of Wedlock”

·       NPR (KCUR Kansas City), “The Challenges and Benefits of Co-Parenting”

·       Baltimore Sun, “Joint Custody Should be the Rule, Not the Exception”

Dr. Holstein’s background includes:

·       Appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law

·       Appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines

·       Harvard College graduate

·       Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate, master’s degree in psychology  

·       Mount Sinai School of Medicine graduate, medical degree

·       Mount Sinai School of Medicine faculty, teacher and researcher

Of the Jolie-Pitt divorce and custody battle news, Dr. Holstein has said, “Angelina and Brad basked in the glow of universal praise when they adopted three children out of impoverished third world countries. But now they will be put to the test: will they now do what is best for these children, or will they re-traumatize them?” 

Dr. Holstein added, “If Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt want to live up to the humanitarian standards they have set, they should minimize the trauma on their children by choosing shared parenting.”

To arrange an interview with Dr. Holstein, please contact Nancy Rigdon at nancyrigdon@nationalparentsorganiza<a< a=””> name=”_GoBack”>tion.org. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE 

October 25, 2016

National Parents Organization recognizes the goals of the National Domestic Violence Awareness Month year-round by raising awareness of the tragic impact domestic violence has on many families throughout the nation. As President Obama has said, domestic violence impacts “women, men, and children of every age, background, and belief.

National Parents Organization will continue to support shared parenting (50/50 custody) when parents divorce or separate only in cases where domestic violence is not an issue. The organization’s leadership urges others to also join in the fight against domestic violence by supporting shared parenting.

International experts have concluded that shared parenting can help reduce domestic violence. At the 2015 International Conference on Shared Parenting, which included about 120 research scientists and other experts from more than 20 countries, participants concluded that “…shared parenting [after parental separation or divorce] is recognized as the most effective means for both reducing high parental conflict and preventing first-time family violence.”

This is in stark contrast to the practices of most family courts in the Unites States, which have assumed that shared parenting between high conflict parents after separation or divorce is dangerous and should not be tried. National Parents Organization is pleased that a handful of states – including Missouri, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Minnesota, and South Dakota – have implemented laws that encourage shared parenting. More than 20 states have considered similar proposals in the last year.

National Parents Organization’s Founder and Board Chairman Ned Holstein, MD, was a featured speaker during the International Conference on Shared Parenting. Of the conference’s conclusions, he said, “Remember when we were told not to eat butter until the experts found that it is actually preferable to margarine? Well, we now have the startling reversal that shared parenting after parental separation or divorce is the most effective means for reducing high parental conflict, and that it decreases the subsequent onset of first-time family violence. It is wonderful to know that we have a way to help the children of high-conflict couples who separate or divorce.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

•                The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

•                The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

•                The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

•                63% of teen suicides;

•                70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

•                71% of high school drop-outs;

•                75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

•                85% of those in prison;

•                85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

•                90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount SinaSchool of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

PRESS RELEASE

SHARED PARENTING BENEFITS WOMEN AFTER DIVORCE 

MORE EQUALIZED APPROACH TO PARENTING CAN HELP CLOSE PAY GAP

October 24, 2016

Women’s equality has received significant attention from both candidates in this election cycle. One possible solution to the persistent problem of wage and workplace inequality has not been mentioned. National Parents Organization encourages family courts throughout the nation to support women’s equality efforts by embracing shared parenting. 

An increasing amount of research shows that shared parenting, or 50/50 custody, is most beneficial to children’s health and wellbeing in instances of divorce or separation, when both parents are fit. Shared parenting is equally advantageous to mothers and women’s equality. In addition to happier, healthier children, one key benefit is that shared parenting allows moms to pursue careers and narrow the “pay gap.” 

The current sole custody model assigns moms nearly 90 percent of the parenting time, which limits their time and ability to pursue career goals. When moms and dads share parenting time, moms have equal time to pursue their career goals. Currently, almost 30 percent of mothers are saddled with nearly full-time single parenting, but shared parenting allows both parents the time to pursue a successful work-life balance.

Acting in favor of this commonsense solution that is in the best interest of parents and children, a handful of states, including Missouri, Utah, Nevada, South Dakota, and Minnesota, have passed laws that are beginning to move shared parenting from the exception to the norm. More than 20 states have considered similar proposals. 

“Shared parenting is an all-around win,” said Dr. Ned Holstein, founder of National Parents Organization. “I can’t think of a better way to help single moms than to make shared parenting the norm after separation or divorce.” 

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING 

Shared Parenting Data

• The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.
• The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”
• The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
• 90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

 CHILD SUPPORT PANEL TO DISCUSS MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH VIRGINIA GUIDELINES 

 October 3, 2016

On Wednesday, Oct. 5, the Virginia Child Support Guidelines Review Panel will be discussing two big problems with the state’s child support guidelines: the 90-day “cliff” between sole custody and shared custody calculation, and the 1.4 “multiplier” applied to those divorced couples who choose to have shared custody of their kids. 

The vast majority of parents (especially those in low-income brackets) are unaware of the “90-day cliff,” which can ultimately result in as much as a 60 to 70 percent difference in monthly child support owed, just for a few days’ difference in visitation. Instead of addressing the root cause of this “cliff,” Virginia lawmakers created an additional policy that charges parents who agree to share custody of their children an additional 40 percent of child support.  

“This ‘cliff’ and the 40 percent multiplier drive additional litigation, legal expenses, and stress for Virginian families, who are already stretched to the limit as it is,” said Christian Paasch, a member of National Parents Organization of Virginia who was appointed to the state’s Child Support Guidelines Review Panel by Gov. McAuliffe. “Instead, we believe families should be able to spend their energy on their children and rebuilding their own lives. Ultimately, both of these policies are unnecessary and overly burdensome, when much simpler, less stressful, and more effective options are available.”

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

NEVADA MOVES TOWARD SHARED PARENTING WITH NEW LAW

 COMMONSENSE SOLUTION FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN GAINING NATIONAL MOMENTUM

 September 26, 2016

Nevada has moved from being among the worst states for shared parenting laws to being in the top third. Shared parenting is a flexible arrangement where children spend as close to equal time with each parent as possible after divorce or separation if both parents are fit. It has been shown to be highly beneficial to most children. The changes in the Nevada custody law were brought about by Nevada’s Parental Rights Protection Act of 2015.

According to attorney Keith Pickard, who was the principal architect of the bill, Nevada statutes now establish a presumption of joint legal custody and a preference for joint physical custody, when the parents agree to it. Nevada now has uniform rules against relocating children anywhere that “would substantially impair the ability of the other parent to maintain a meaningful relationship with the child.” And the rules for relocating when parents have shared physical custody are designed to protect both parents’ relationships with the children.

“With the new law in place, Nevada is on its way to giving children what they most want and need after the trauma of parental separation or divorce: the continued love and guidance of both parents,” says Ned Holstein, MD, National Parents Organization founder.

Federal statistics show that shared parenting helps children in multiple ways. For instance, they have higher self-esteem, stay out of trouble, and perform better in school, while for parents it decreases custody battles and increases voluntary child support and college payments. Shared parenting legislation has recently been passed or considered in more than 20 states, including Missouri, where a law promoting shared parenting took effect in August. To further improve, Nevada could provide a clear definition of “joint physical custody” and express an aspiration for 50/50 parenting whenever possible.

“We should celebrate the progress that Nevada has made but also recognize that there is more work to be done,” says Don Hubin, PhD, National Parents Organization Board member. “Nevada serves as additional evidence that the national tide is running towards shared parenting even if its new law is not perfect.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

• The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.
• The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”
• The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
• 90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK COURTS RULE IN FAVOR OF PARENTAL RIGHTS FOR SAME-SEX PARENTS  

 DECISION BENEFITS PARENTS AND CHILDREN BUT CELEBRATION IS PREMATURE

September 26, 2016

The New York State Court of Appeals recently ruled that an unmarried woman who had helped raise a child with her same-sex partner was entitled to seek parenting time in family court after the couple broke up. The woman was not a biological parent of the child. A New York Times editorial hailed this decision as an overdue and rightful expansion of the parenting rights of people in same-sex relationships.

The court based its decision in part on research that “reveals the trauma children suffer as a result of separation from a primary attachment figure — such as a de facto parent — regardless of that figure’s biological or adoptive ties to the children.” National Parents Organization agrees wholeheartedly with the Court’s recognition of the trauma children suffer when they are forcibly separated from established parental figures.

However, celebration is premature. The decision merely grants non-biological same-sex parents the right to a custody battle, like heterosexual couples. As with hetero cases, it does not establish that children will actually be granted the continuing love and guidance of both beloved parents. It will be of little value to children if, as with heterosexual couples, one parent is relegated to the role of a “visitor,” seeing the child only every other weekend or so.

The true test of whether the New York courts take the best interest of children to heart is if they begin to order shared parenting — for both hetero and same-sex couples. Shared parenting is a flexible arrangement in which children spend as close to equal time with each parent as possible following divorce or separation. It should not be ordered if a parent is unfit or violent.

Federal statistics show that shared parenting helps children in multiple ways. For instance, they have higher self-esteem, stay out of trouble, and perform better in school, while for parents it decreases custody battles and increases voluntary child support and college payments. Shared parenting legislation has recently been passed or considered in more than 20 states, including Missouri, where a law promoting shared parenting took effect in August.

“If sole custody continues to be ordered, the decision in New York will be a hollow victory,” says Ned Holstein, MD, National Parents Organization founder. “Before congratulating the courts on correcting historic wrongs, let’s see them start ordering shared parenting to fit parents, both hetero and same-sex, thus eliminating custody battles altogether.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

• The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.
• The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”
• The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
• 90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S. 

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines. 

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION 

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

DIVORCE CAN LEAVE PARENTS WITH A PREMATURE EMPTY NEST

SHARED PARENTING OFFERS A COMMONSENSE SOLUTION FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN

September 14, 2016

As the school year begins, many parents of college-age kids are watching their children leave home for the first time. For many parents, this exciting occasion can also be tinged with sadness.Known as empty nest syndrome, this experience is often characterized by depression and anxiety for parents. Nevertheless, grown children leaving home is a normal human transition and one to which most parents eventually adjust.

But what happens when children are removed from their parents’ homes too soon, before either parent or child is ready – when the child is 7 instead of 17? This is the sad reality for many parents following a divorce.

“Due to antiquated sole custody laws, the parent who ‘loses’ the custody battle can experience a premature empty nest, thrust into the unfortunate role of ‘visitor’ in their children’s lives,” says Ned Holstein, MD, founder of National Parents Organization. “In these cases, the feelings of loneliness, heartache, and grief that can accompany a child leaving home are often amplified.”

Children also suffer when they’re prevented from seeing one of their parents frequently. Federal statistics show that children raised by single parents are significantly more likely to drop out of school, wind up in prison, abuse alcohol and drugs, develop psychological problems or commit suicide.

Shared parenting – a flexible arrangement in which children spend as close to equal time as possible with each parent after a divorce, if both parents are fit – decreases parental conflict and domestic violence while increasing child support payments, as well as voluntary payments for college. Studies have also shown that it leads to better grades in school, happier children, less substance abuse, less delinquency and even less teen pregnancy.

“Despite the strong public support for shared parenting, sole custody remains the norm in most of the country, with shared parenting being awarded less than ten percent of the time,” Holstein says. “Shifting the norm to shared parenting would prevent either parent from being marginalized, giving equal weight and respect to the valuable roles both mother and father play in a child’s life.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·      The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·      The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·      The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

·      63% of teen suicides;

·      70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·      71% of high school drop-outs;

·      75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·      85% of those in prison;

·      85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·      90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

August 29, 2016

Twenty-three years ago this month, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed August as National Child Support Enforcement Month, focusing attention on a symptom of a much greater problem: a family court system that discourages shared parenting and gender equality in instances of divorce or separation.

An increasing amount of research shows that family courts should focus on what’s best for children by awarding shared parenting, or 50/50 custody, giving children equal time with both parents in instances of divorce or separation, when both parents are fit. Shared parenting can help resolve the delinquencies associated with child support, as well as problems associated with gender inequality, while ensuring children have the continued love and care of both parents.

The stats are also in favor of shared parenting: Fathers who have little or no contact with their children following a divorce pay about one-third of their child support, while fathers who regularly spend time with their children pay at least 85 percent of their child support, according to “Child-Custody Adjudication: Judicial Functions in the Face of Indeterminacy” by Harvard Law School Professor Robert H. Mnookin.

Additionally, about 30 percent of parents with sole custody report a one-year absence of child support payments, yet when shared parenting exists, a year without payments is non-existent, according to “Supporting children after divorce: The influence of custody on support levels and payments” by Center for Policy Research’s Jessica Pearson and Nancy Thoennes. In response to such research, a handful of states, including Missouri, Utah, South Dakota, and Minnesota, have passed laws that are beginning to move shared parenting from the exception to the norm. More than 20 states have considered similar proposals.

“In order to meet the needs of our modern families, we urge lawmakers to take this opportunity to address a negative reality in our society – our nation’s family courts continue to award sole custody, usually to the mother, in over 80 percent of child custody cases,” said Dr. Ned Holstein, founder of National Parents Organization. “Our organization recently released a report highlighting that many states are not only discouraging shared parenting, but they are also depriving children of what they benefit from most – ample time with both of their parents – while also enabling a system that fosters parental and gender inequality.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·      The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·      The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·      The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

·      63% of teen suicides;

·      70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·      71% of high school drop-outs;

·      75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·      85% of those in prison;

·      85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·      90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

PRESS RELEASE

August 26, 2016

On Women’s Equality Day – Friday, August 26 – National Parents Organization encourages family courts throughout the nation to support women’s equality efforts by embracing shared parenting.

An increasing amount of research shows that shared parenting, or 50/50 custody, is most beneficial to children’s health and wellbeing in instances of divorce or separation, when both parents are fit. Shared parenting is equally advantageous to mothers and women’s equality. In addition to happier, healthier children, one key benefit is that shared parenting allows moms to pursue ambitious careers and narrow the “pay gap.”

The notorious “pay gap” for women cannot be closed unless we reform the practices of our family courts. After married parents divorce or unmarried parents separate, the family courts assign sole custody of the children to the mother almost 90 percent of the time. Because such divorces and separations are so common, about 30 percent of all mothers in the United States are single moms, each of them having to do perhaps 90 percent of the child rearing.

“This makes it impossible for all but the most energetic and talented to pursue an ambitious career, one that would help close the pay gap. In contrast, widespread shared parenting after separation or divorce would allow millions of mothers to pursue high-paying, ambitious careers. Plus, it would be far better for children to have both parents actively involved in their raising,” said Dr. Ned Holstein, National Parents Organization’s Founder and Board Chair.

Acting in favor of this commonsense solution that is in the best interest of parents and children alike, a handful of states, including Missouri, Utah, South Dakota, and Minnesota, have passed laws that are beginning to move shared parenting from the exception to the norm. More than 20 states have considered similar proposals.

“Shared parenting is an all-around win,” said Dr. Ned Holstein. “As we pause to celebrate Women’s Equality Day, I can’t think of a better way to help single moms than to make shared parenting the norm after separation or divorce.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·      The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·      The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·      The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

·      63% of teen suicides;

·      70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·      71% of high school drop-outs;

·      75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·      85% of those in prison;

·      85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·      90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.