One paralegal has assisted men when it comes to fighting for their parenting rights and spoke of a conversation she had with another woman she had recently met. The paralegal spoke of what she was doing and was then asked if there were fathers that were actually seeking equal rights.
This conversation brought to her mind a number of questions. She wondered why it was assumed that the mother was the one who got to decide the amount of time a father could spend with their child or why was the father put in the position that they had to fight for their rights to begin with.
As a paralegal she says she has seen both the best and the worst that has occurred in our family law system. She noted that her husband (presumably from a prior marriage) had to jump through a series of legal hoops to obtain joint custody and be provided a child support arrangement that seemed fair.
It’s beneficial for both fathers and mothers involved in child custody matters to speak to family law attorneys who have experience in helping clients in a wide variety of child custody concerns. In the Pennsylvania courts child custody arrangements are determined in great part on what is in the best interests of the children.
With this in mind, it is important to recognize that fathers play an essential role in bringing up of children. While not all fathers take their parenting role seriously, there are also fathers who are doing all that they can for their children. These fathers must be given the right to participate in their children’s lives.
Source: Philly Buzz, “Fathers’ Rights- Why Do They Have to Fight to Begin With?” Karen Stebbins, April 22, 2014