“Shared parenting: Children can’t get enough”

By Tony Bickel

As Wisconsinites, we can be proud of how separated Wisconsin parents address and fulfill their financial obligations for their children.

According to the Department of Children and Families website dialog box of current support obligations, Wisconsin parents ranked high compared to all 50 states. Although Wisconsin isn’t at 100% yet, the rate has been trending upward for years now.

Many studies have been done on the value of shared parenting and its positive effects on children, including emotional stability, academic success and significant reductions in drug use and juvenile delinquency.

Recently, the National Parents Organization put out a report card rating each of the 50 states on the prevalence of shared parenting statutes for children with separated parents. Wisconsin received a B-. Although this is above the average, it is a reminder that we must continue to strive for improvement and education on meeting the needs of children in homes without both parents living together.