Historically, divorcing dads in Indiana and across the country have struggled to get their fair share of time with their kids. Like any societal shifts, changes do not happen as fast as many people would like. It is always important for any man getting divorced to be aware of what their rights are and what options they have for getting as much time with their kids as they can possibly get.
As explained by the State of Indiana, the laws in Indiana surrounding child custody have shifted to provide a focus on allowing both parents to have meaningful, frequent and ongoing contact with their children. There may be guidelines but there are no strict percentages as to who will have what amount of time. Instead, the laws are written to provide some flexibility to account for different family and children’s needs, including changes that are natural based on children’s changing needs and maturity levels.
Nationwide, more states are looking at ways to let dads have more time with their kids after getting divorced but there is still work to be done. In 2017, a study found that half of the states in the nation had legislation in the works to focus on allowing shared parenting. It is important, however, to note that shared and equal are not synonomous.
Across the United States, it is estimated that dads end up with an average of 35 percent of the parenting time and that is even with 20 states offering equal parenting time for moms and dads.