Many fathers are eager to step up to the plate when it comes to parenting. They are the dads who are there to watch the Little League game and the ones to take their daughter to the park. And while their parenting may be different than a mother’s, it is no less important when it comes to the healthy development of a child.
In evaluating the May article, “Are Dads the New Moms?” that appeared in the Wall Street Journal, one woman, who actually tries to keep couples together, is quick to point out that when it comes to divorce, children thrive when their father continues to have ongoing contact with their father.
Additionally, she also points to the fact that children actually do better when their parents are divorced and there is constant contact with dad as opposed to children being raised in situations where there is a dysfunctional marriage.
Along these lines of thinking, one could then argue that the idea of staying together for the kids might not really be the best.
When looking at parenting, it’s also important to remember that it is normal for fathers to have different parenting techniques than mothers. For example, a mother is more likely to try and reason through a temper tantrum, while a father is more likely to correct the entire tantrum with a simple glance or word.
However, this isn’t to say either way of parenting is wrong. In fact, studies suggest that children do the best when raised by these different yet complimentary parenting techniques.
In the end, it’s important to remember fathers have rights and that children actually thrive from having contact with both of their parents. This is why it’s important for a dad to have an attorney who focuses on father’s rights on their side when going through a divorce and reaching any decisions regarding child custody and ongoing parenting.
Source: The Denver Post, “Lamm: The best that a dad can be,” Dottie Lamm, June 10, 2012
