Emma Johnson’s new book brings together the scientific arguments for equal shared parenting alongside personal stories which powerfulyl reinforce the case she is making for equally shared care.
Subtitled “The Surprisingly Simple Choice that Makes Moms, Dads, and Kids Happier and Healthier after a Divorce” this powerful book starts with her statement that: “we are all victims of old systems and dated misunderstandings about child development that have colored the roles we play in partnership and parenting inside and outside relationships”.
She explains how she has reached this view. “… our first years after separation included the following: family court appearances, a temporary restraining order with police station custody exchanges, and me arguing for majority parenting time with no immediate overnight visits.”
But rather than settle into the conventional ‘main carer’ role, she found that: “… my victory soured.
In the early years, despite my earlier insistence that the kids belonged primarily with me, I found myself living for the kids’ eventual Saturday overnights with their dad and the Wednesdays
when he’d pick them up from school for their weekly dinner visit.”
This led to a major change: “.. eventually, we agreed to split the schedule and expenses down the middle—regardless of what had been filed in the courthouse. One week his house, one week my house. Holidays and summers 50/50.”
Chapters in the book cover the cuts of motherhood, beyond the male breadwinner, best interests of the child, money issues and domestic violence and conclude with solutions and FAQs about 50/50 parenting. Comprehensive notes and references are included for each chapter.
Emma Johnson is a journalist, entrepreneur, and activist. Founder of Wealthysinglemommy.com and Moms for Shared Parenting, her books, interviews, and writing on gender equality have been featured in hundreds of news outlets, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Elle, and CNBC. She has spoken about equal parenting to audiences at Google and the United Nations Summit for Gender Equality. Her presentation at the 2023 International Council on Share Parenting Athens conference can be seen here:
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