50/50 Shared Parenting: Key to Children’s Emotional Well-Being and Healthy Development

Research by William V. Fabricius, Ph.D. (corresponding author) Department of Psychology Arizona State University shows in detail the benefit of
50 and 50 % sharing parental time.

Several studies, consistently shows that for children whose parents separate, 50/50 timesharing arrangements often lead to the best outcomes. Recent studies have found that on multiple measures—including academic performance, emotional and psychological well-being, behavioral adjustment, physical health, and the quality of parent–child relationships—children in shared parenting arrangements do as well as those in intact, nuclear families. 

There is still a common assumption that mothers are naturally the superior parent, simply because they are the mother. However, more and more families are recognizing that equal time-sharing, when circumstances allow, honors the vital roles both mothers and fathers play in a child’s development. When fathers are given the opportunity to spend meaningful time with their children, not only do they build stronger relationships, but they are also more likely to remain active, engaged parents. This, in turn, benefits the children’s emotional security.