I think it used to be expected that, aside from extreme situations, the mother always got custody of the children in the case of a divorce. Daddy would come pick them up every other weekend and that was that.

Growing up, I had many friends with divorced parents. I think only one of them was being raised by her father. I'm not sure what the circumstances were, but she was happy and well-adjusted. She really loved her dad; I can't imagine how she would have felt had she not been able to live with him.

I know I always got along better with my father, too. If my parents had ever gotten a divorce, I expect that I would have gone to live with him. But, depending on how young I was, I probably would not have had a choice in the matter. And if my parents fought over it, guess who the judge would have sided with? To hell with what I would have wanted. I was just a kid, right? The court must know best.

The tide is changing, gradually. Courts are beginning to recognize the rights of the fathers. Sometimes it is better for them to go with Dad. And we're seeing more cases of joint custody, not just those depressing twice-a-month visits at the park or whatever.

It's great. Just because a woman gave birth to child doesn't mean the father doesn't count. He counts plenty when you're looking for that child support, doesn't he? Two people are responsible for bringing life to this world--and two should be raising that same life, equally.