Comments on: The row over families http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/02/27/the-row-over-families/ Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Wokingham Sun, 12 Oct 2008 07:30:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Charlotte Morris http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/02/27/the-row-over-families/#comment-17002 Charlotte Morris Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:30:49 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=127#comment-17002 I am a single mother as a result of divorce. My children's father unfortunately proved not to be a good role model but I feel well able and qualified to provide excellent care for them. After five years, all three of them are happy, helpful, caring and excelling at school. My father was also raised by a lone mother and he is a professor and a brilliant father and grandfather. It is not about money but about being well-balanced and educated people. Do any of these politicians seriously believe that by offering financial incentives to married couples women will stay with violent, abusive partners and incompetent parents? It is time to put the onus on men to behave responsibly and to be good fathers who are worthy of that position rather than punishing women and children who they have let down. I don't have much money but I am in no hurry to find another husband, thank you very much. I am a single mother as a result of divorce. My children’s father unfortunately proved not to be a good role model but I feel well able and qualified to provide excellent care for them. After five years, all three of them are happy, helpful, caring and excelling at school. My father was also raised by a lone mother and he is a professor and a brilliant father and grandfather. It is not about money but about being well-balanced and educated people. Do any of these politicians seriously believe that by offering financial incentives to married couples women will stay with violent, abusive partners and incompetent parents? It is time to put the onus on men to behave responsibly and to be good fathers who are worthy of that position rather than punishing women and children who they have let down. I don’t have much money but I am in no hurry to find another husband, thank you very much.

]]> By: Neil Craig http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/02/27/the-row-over-families/#comment-889 Neil Craig Wed, 28 Feb 2007 15:33:43 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=127#comment-889 I think we should also question the judicial assumption that in a break up disputed custody will almost always go to the mother. Statistics suggest that it is not single parenting but the lack of a father figure which, at least for buys, is the the most important factor leading to future criminal behaviour. Young boys are not born civilised & very difficult for a lone mother to overawe. Since most divorces are started by the wives such lack of automatic custody would be influential. It would be tough to do this but is in the interests of the boys as much as society & there does seem to be a clear parallel between rising divorce & rising crime. see http://www.cato.org/testimony/ct-wc67.html I think we should also question the judicial assumption that in a break up disputed custody will almost always go to the mother. Statistics suggest that it is not single parenting but the lack of a father figure which, at least for buys, is the the most important factor leading to future criminal behaviour. Young boys are not born civilised & very difficult for a lone mother to overawe.

Since most divorces are started by the wives such lack of automatic custody would be influential.

It would be tough to do this but is in the interests of the boys as much as society & there does seem to be a clear parallel between rising divorce & rising crime.

see http://www.cato.org/testimony/ct-wc67.html

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