Today it's the access rights for separated parents debate. Not that I have a problem with it per se, but what makes my blood boil is the one sidedness of the argument and the coverage - anyone would think we were a nation of evil divorcées fending off innocent divorcés, a whole societal section of bitter women wielding children as weapons to hurt those poor innocent men. And in some cases that's what happens...but the press coverage seems to make out it always happens. No mention whatsoever of fathers with residence who don't allow mothers access. No mention of absent parents who don't give a damn about their children. No mention of the inequality in the law between what the child is entitiled to and what the absent parent is entitled to.
If a non-resident parent wants to see a child and can't, possibly because the child doesn't want to see the parent, the country/court/press/government is up in arms about it. If the child wants to see the parent and can't, because the parent can't be bothered, even though that right is enshrined in law, the country/court/press/government turn a blind eye. A non-res parent has the right to have the address and phone number of child at all times. The child has no right whatsoever to the same information for the parent. How can that be fair?
I think they should do something about parents who deny agreed access without good reason; but for all everyone talks about the good of the child coming first, nobody seems bothered at all about the lack of rights children have who might want to see a parent who can't be bothered to see them.
Ok, rant over - I forgot the medication...
Oh, and no, of course this was nothing personal...
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