Dot, the only problem with compulsory adoption is that adoptive parents get divorced to. I know people would like to think that they are a better breed of people, but they're just human beings as well with human being failures that also lead to marriage failure, particularly over issues such as parenting. Most likely what would happen then is that the adoptive mother will become a single parent, and face the same issues that divorced single mothers face. She will then face the 'blood sucking etc' name calling that divorced single mothers face.

There would also be an overwhelming flood of children available for adoption, or an increase in abortion.

Although I am sure the Federal Government would love to nick children from their mothers, they wouldn't quite get away with it just yet. However, they sympathise entirely with the likes of Albie, and are doing their best to undermine all resources available to 'wimmen' to parent their child/ren. Mal Brough even sounds like a divorced Dad who bitterly resents paying child support. The comment 'women spending the child support on themselves' is a consistent comment heard from the diatribe of angry dads.

ahhh...nice to get some feedback on a subject that was initially posted a while ago...I came across it quite by accident.

My dears, you,them, us me, we are all right and we are all wrong, because the dynamics change with the wind.
Now the situtation is getting worse by the second, and I see the results of it daily, yet can only put a bandaid on a a cancer, so to speak.
Can we put our minds to a solution?

A solution that will even suit persons that we dont like? Eg, ex's who "dun us wrong", dole bludgers, tax avoiders, feminazis(?)whatever that implies - and whatever the male equivalent is - anyone know? etc etc...

while we adults go for each others jugular, as can be seen by comments all over the forum pages on any given topic - the innocents, the children, are being torn apart - by having to be the 'prize' in a war no one wins.

A person I admire said that they thought that when contact/residency issues were raised, along with the resultant child support issues, and counselling and mediation did not solve the problems,that instead of the adversarial court system, maybe something like a coronial court, an inquisitorial method. Then at least the parents would not be torn even further defending their stance.
Another writer, speaking on Indigeneous problems with sexual abuse of children, suggested a CSI (as in the tv show) type of thing. Good ideas.
Come on all you clever and thinking people, lets show we do care and come up with solutions. You never know, one must might work!

In the words of the late great John Lennon "there are no problems, only solutions"

ps..Liz, there are many other problems with adoption also - hence my moments of despair - a family member in the late 1960's 'disgraced' herself, and being under 21 was refused permission to marry. Shipped of, called a slut, pillow on the chest when giving birth, she never saw the child. It has affected her whole attitude on life, even though she went on to have a good marriage and lovely kids. That child is now 40 years old. Where is he? Did he have a good life? We all wonder. I know others from that same era who were the adoptees - some are happy and secure, others, placed in families where personalities from biological parents shines forth, differing from the adopted parents, have never felt fully loved or comfortable, affecting their adult relationships - breakdown, solo parenting

I would hate to see another generation of little Australians 'stolen', which is why I am always trying to get poeple to think and adamant for support of parents and children to try and halt the cycle.

Breaking the cycle would involve some unpalatable decisions. Keeping it in one’s pants is just one.

Treating parents equally could perhaps make them feel responsible in more equal doses. Making them pay equal amounts for the raising of children, would also promote more equal custody arrangements. Remember, it takes two.

Screwing fathers and taxpayers in the best interests of children gives mothers the wrong impression.

Dot

I had a sister that was forced to adopt her newborn baby 25+ years ago. This boy contacted my sister a few years ago. What a screw up. My sister is more aggreived because she believes she would have done a much better job raising her child, and yet there's this expectation that she should be thankful to the adoptive parents for raising him.

Seeker: 'breaking the cycle' what cycle? we do not live in an 'equal' society. And what is considered 'equal' is not necessarily in 'the best interests of the child'. It's quite parentcentric thinking.

Unfortunately, you lowered yourself by linking a perception of 'screwing fathers' and taxpayers (goodness knows why your're bringing them into it. Must be the 'blooksuckers ...' mentality) to 'best interests of children'. There is no relevance. It is just claiming victim status.

The parent that gets residence is the parent that is the primary care giver. Not the parent that did not play that role. Nor the girlfriend of 'victim' non-resident parent.

Dott, you were not labelled per se as a 'feminazi' if you read my post(s). My sincere apologies if the innuendo from your post which precipitated my response was interpreted in this fashion.

Similarly a 350 word response does not an essay maketh. By the way your efforts regarding the inequities of the status quo are commendable, but please consider the semantic connotations of the 'steroetypical Penis references' as they may be relevant but not in all given sets of circumstances.

The greatest problem facing our kids, and indeed us parents, is the entrenched mindset of the vested interests and these are the 'feminazis' (and others) to which I draw specific attention to.

The Aboriginal issues were briefed over in one post, we have not seen (yet)the full bloom of its repercussions to date.
Paternalism is rife, resultant the Crown policies in existence from day 1. Our Administrator of the NT Ted Egan wrote a very pertinent letter to the NT news some time ago (I'll work out how to link articles in future postings)...

Suffice it to say, we need to get away from the welfare state in many facets of our society, but not as a wholesale policy as one size does not fit all.