50/50 Child Custody in Tennessee

A proposed bill in Tennessee is stirring up trouble between divorced and unmarried parents attempting to work out custody arrangements over their children. The bill being proposed would evenly split child custody between both parents, and is already creating friction between mothers and fathers.

On one hand, women, some judges, and even the Tennessee Bar Association argue that the bill would make divorces more difficult to settle and give abusive ex-husbands/partners control they should not have in the first place. They also argue that spending half the time with each parent will place unreasonable schedules on the children.

On the other hand, men, who want full relationships with their children, argue they are being deprived of quality time, and say courts disregard custody decisions to be based in the best interest of children and overrate the mother-and-child bond but ignore the father-and- child bond.

Representative Mike Bell, the bill's key sponsor, introduced the bill after hearing complaints from his constituents. He hopes it will push parents to reassess divorce in the best interest of the children.

However, it is undeniable that maintaining proper relationships with both parents is vital to children's overall health, whether the parents are together or not. When parents are unable to come to an agreement, significant stress can be placed on children. Separation and divorce is never easy on the children.