Danger said:
I would even think 50/50 is way too high. I mean I know a LOT of dad's who are divorced and do everything they can for their kids.
There must be some place to get these numbers and the demographics behind them. It would also help to get a definition of the term "Dead-beat dad" that is used in determining the numbers. Call me paranoid, but I just find more and more that I don't believe the things that the media spits out at me. I've seen way too many lies at this point in my life.
when i hear deadbeat dad , i picture that little boy who is supposed to go see his dad and packs his stuff and sits by the door all day ready to go, and the dad never shows and he never calls, week after week, until the kid just stops packing his stuff each week. (DEADBEATS DON'T SHOW UP FOR VISITATION)
when i hear deadbeat dad, i picture the little boy who never even met his dad and has only seen a picture his momma keeps on the top shelf of her closet. (DEADBEATS DON'T SHOW UP TO MEET THEIR KIDS)
when i hear deadbeat dad, i picture a child support agency telling a single mother "we thought we had caught up to him, but he was working under the table and we couldn't get enough information to actually collect the support, and when we thought we finally had enough to set a court date, well, he moved again and now we have to find his whereabouts and contact whatever state he went to and have their child support investigators look into it. it is a process you know." (DEADBEATS DON'T PAY A DIME IN SUPPORT.)
however, how many mothers out there go around telling people that their kids dad is a deadbeat? too many to count.
missed one payment? how is that a deadbeat?
missed one visitation due to work? how is that a deadbeat?
they are just aw's seeking the attention that people can give them.
also, last year, 50% of the live birth records were children of Hispanic ethnicity, so some of their fathers could have been deported back to where they came from... so if they were forced to leave the country and can not return to provide support or interact with their children , are they deadbeats?
now on another hand, how many "deadbeats" flat out, do not even know they are dads? were never told, or told when the child was old enough that it made the man feel strange about entering the child's life?
how many "deadbeats" were told by the mother not to come around? ultimately, once you know you are a father, you really are responsible in seeking your own attorney and going to court to settle custody/visitation yourself and not wait for mommy dearest to allow it... but still how many?
that is why i think 50% of men are good fathers, who try hard, even when they get behind on things, they have good intentions AND 50% are deadbeats, some not even knowing they are fathers at all and some running as far away as they can.
