YES!!!!
Today I received an email from the American Coalition for Fathers and Children (ACFC) about an article in Parade magazine (in the Sunday insert in most major newspapers). The article is about father’s rights and includes a poll on whether it’s readers think fathers should have equal time with their children after a divorce or separation.
It’s very troubling to me to see how people are voting on this one. Here’s what the email said:
Yesterday, July 6, 2008 Parade Magazine ran a brief blurb about whether family courts discriminate against fathers in custody cases. Parade magazine is distributed in millions of papers across the country on Sundays.
More importantly, the magazine initiated a poll asking ‘Should Divorced Dads Get Equal Time With Their Kids?’ Through late Sunday evening the numbers were coming in at a 2 to 1 ratio supporting the statement. As of several minutes ago the margin had narrowed to 51% to 49% in favor of the statement.
Perhaps this is a ‘normal’ vote swing, however it appears unlikely given the constancy of favorable opinion throughout Sunday. We are asking you to visit the link below and cast your vote. It takes only a moment to make your voice heard. Follow the link, support shared parenting and equality. Please forward the link to others you know who would support reform efforts.
http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2008/edition_07-06-2008/Intelligence_Report
Please also support the ongoing work of ACFC with a contribution. Your gift helps continue reform efforts and assure the message “Children Need Both Parents” will continue to spread. Click here to contribute.
Thank you,
Mike McCormick, Exec. Dir.
ACFC
Being that I’m a dad that has been fighting an uphill battle for three years to get equal time with my daughter I maybe biased on this one, but I’m certain I would feel the same if I didn’t have a kid.
Please take a moment to vote on this, and I hope to see people voting in favor of equal time - it really is what’s best for the children!!! I can’t believe 40 something % of people don’t think dads should get equal time… That’s really disappointing to see.
(And to save you the time of having to go to the Parade mag site, I just poached the code for the poll so you can vote directly from here! 
)
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12 responses so far ↓
1 David Hobson // Jul 7, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Simpley put yes they should. I could`nt image being without my kids.
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Ty Hurd reply on July 7, 2008:
Yeah, not being able to see my daughter regularly has been heartbreaking, and a very difficult thing to deal with… Although I had a victory in court last week and will be getting her regularly moving forward! It’s just too bad the court system let it take three years to get a ruling in my favor.
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2 Sangeeta Sinha // Jul 8, 2008 at 3:30 am
Ty, simply put……divorced dad must spend equal valuable time with their kids. Yes, exceptions are there where the dad is not like a dad…(u understand what I mean?)but more of an alien. In this case, the mother has to think twice before allowing the kids to be with their dad.
BTW, I felt sad and bad reading about what you have written personally about you and not being able to see your daughter…..
Don’t worry…..very soon your tension will be over…..I am telling you…….
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3 patricia de miranda // Jul 10, 2008 at 1:44 am
if the dads get equal time with their kids and if It will help the fights between parents to finish, it will be a great solution… i think before all is to think how we can find a solution for to finish the fights, If parent feel like the childrens feel between batles… maybe …
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4 Gord // Jul 10, 2008 at 4:51 am
In my profession as an Aircraft Engineer, breakups and divorce rate is very high. I know it’s for the courts to decide but there are a lot of stay at home Dads and the wife works. If a marriage breaks up due to her having affairs relating to work, shouldn’t the Father get custody of the child for the majority of the time? It seems the Mother is already deemed as “the best” for the child before any circumstances are brought out into the open.
OK…enough ranting.
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5 Alex // Jul 10, 2008 at 5:58 am
Hi, I don’t think that this is so easy. Of course the kids need their father. No question. BUT - little kids have to much problems with the situation when moving from the one household to the other. Some things they are allowed by mum, forbidden by dad. And on the other side the same. To solve this good for the kids, the parents have to speak - but how often are they so angry that they can’t speak anymore? So please excuse my bad english, but this is important to me. I don’t think this situations are so easy to solve, only by saying “yes” or “no” or give one part more time.
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Ty Hurd reply on July 10, 2008:
Alexa, it is a tough situation to work out, but the parents REALLY need to set their differences aside and work to be amicable and communicate on parenting styles/rules/etc. for the sake of the child. It can be hard (my ex seems to have a real hard time with this), but one should only think of how the actions of the parents are affecting the child.
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6 Chris C. // Jul 10, 2008 at 6:59 am
Dads should certainly get equal time - I still can’t believe it is a question! Sure, being a dad I am biased because I really don’t think I could go on without seeing my kids, but I think it is just as important for the kids as it is the father. And, if it is the mother that fights to keep the children from the dad, the kids will see right through it later in life and could hold a grudge against the mother. I speak from experience here, having been through divorced parents as a kid… It’s hard to forgive a mom that keeps something like that from you, just because she is pissed things didn’t go her way!
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Ty Hurd reply on July 10, 2008:
Chris, even though my ex has done nothing but try her hardest to keep me from my daughter I actually want my daughter to get time with her mom. After all, kids need both parents. I agree with you though and fear my daughter will not be too fond of mom in the years to come for her less than mature actions and it’s a bummer for my daughter to be put in that situation. Separations really are a drag to say the least…
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7 danny // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:00 am
Hey Ty… This post definitely hit home and YES, fathers deserve equal time. The sad and unfortunate truth is that this situation always be an uphill battle for us divorced dads, especially so with the court system and money hungry attorneys. No matter what happens, keep your head up and never ever give up as your daughter is worth everything and then some. Best of luck brother!
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8 Carrie // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:03 am
Hello Ty… thanks for following me on Twitter.
Funny that this is the first post I read on your blog. I’m going through a divorce right now and would love it if my kid’s dad would spend more time with our 4.
It sure would help with the child support issue too. Since he isn’t paying, if he had the kids more I could work more.
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9 Ty Hurd // Jul 10, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Carrie, your ex really should spend more time with the kids. It really irks me to hear about dads who’s exes are trying to get them to spend more time with their kids but won’t when I’ve been battling so hard to get time with my little girl. Gives us good dads a bad name and they really don’t know what they’re doing to their kids… sad.
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