Family Law
A Future Direction? Giving Children A Say
Much of the policy debate around postseparation parenting has been conducted as if it consisted of a zero-sum game of gains and losses to be distributed between mothers and fathers. The metaphor of the shifting balance between mothers and fathers, employed above, exemplifies this way of thinking. Researchers, though, suggest that one way to break out of this seemingly intractable debate is to focus more on the expressed needs and desires of the children involved (e.g., Lowe and Murch 2001; Smart, Neale, and Wade 2001; Woodhouse 2000).
See also: ADOPTION; CHILD CUSTODY; CHILDREN'S RIGHTS; DIVORCE: EFFECTS ON COUPLE; GRANDPARENTS' RIGHTS; GUARDIANSHIP; MARRIAGE, DEFINITION OF; PREMARITAL AGREEMENTS; PROTESTANTISM; SEXUAL ORIENTATION
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JOHN DEWAR
Additional topics
Marriage and Family EncyclopediaFamily Theory & Types of FamiliesFamily Law - The Eras Of Family Law: From Form To Function, The Era Of Complexity, Relationship Definition: Entries And Exits