The National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational organization, has long been urging lawmakers to legislate shared parenting laws. Now, Missouri legislators are contemplating to pass a shared parenting bill called HB 1550.
Missouri's Shared Parenting Bill
Within the past year, Missouri has joined the national trend where nearly 20 states across the United States have advocated bills supporting shared parenting. In recent months, two U.S. states have turned those proposals into law.
Now, Missouri's shared parenting bill, HB 1550, has reportedly passed the Missouri Senate and the Fiscal Review Committee. According to Columbia Daily Tribune, the bill urges state's court systems to award and recognize parental equality, an arrangement where children have equal access to both parents.
Why Shared Parenting Law Is Needed
In the nasty reality of broken families or in an acrimonious custody battle, children are often placed in traumatizing situations where they see their parents in conflict. In some cases, there's the tragic experience of parental alienation, where the winning parent has the power to instill negative thoughts to a child's mind against the "non-custodial" parent.
So, why is shared parenting law needed? According to experts and advocates like National Parents Organization founder and board chair Dr. Ned Holstein, shared parenting can lower the cases of parental alienation because it would be difficult for anyone to turn a child against a parent with whom he or she experiences frequent loving care, Globe Newswire noted.
Since maintaining a strong relationship between parents and children is exceptionally crucial to the emotional, mental and physical well-being of kids, shared parenting laws can also reduce the impact of single parenting. It can also stop the negative effects of divorce and separation.
Shared Parenting: A Solution For 21st Century Families?
Experts believe shared parenting is the solution for the broken families of the 21st century. Writer Linda Reutzel said shared parenting allows modern parents, regardless of gender, to be as actively involved in their children's lives while balancing their professional ambitions and responsibilities.
The Effects Of Shared Parenting On Children
Based on a 2015 Swedish study published in the international Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, researchers found that teenagers living in a shared parenting household did better than those living with single parents. Even though the effects were not the same in children who are not living in broken homes, shared parenting still have positive impacts on kids.
"Psychosomatic symptoms are related to stress, and living in two different homes could be stressful for children," the researchers said in the study, Deseret News quotes. "But this might be outweighed by the positive effects of maintaining close contact with both parents."
Meanwhile, aside from Missouri, Florida lawmakers also passed a legislation on shared parenting. In March, it was reported that Florida's shared parenting bill passed the Senate and the House of Representative but still awaiting the signature of Gov. Rick Scott, WUFT.org reports.
So, what do you think of shared parenting laws? Sound off below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.
