When divorced or separated parents disagree on what is best for their children, it is common for them to ask the courts to step in and make a ruling. However, it is becoming more common for the courts to refuse to rule against a parent who has made a decision that did not cause the child physical, mental or emotional harm.
This was true for one such case hitting the headlines, in which the father took the mother to court after she permitted her then 11-year-old daughter to go to a Pink concert. Pink is known for her slightly suggestive lyrics and high energy performance, but the mother believed that the concert was appropriate and went with her daughter to the show.
According to court filings, the father believed that this was a poor parenting decision and took the matter to family court. The judge ended up responding to the father’s complaint with a 37-page ruling in favor of the mother. The judge said determining factors in the decision were the mother’s reasons for allowing the girl to go to the concert and an interview he conducted with the girl.
Parenting is a difficult task in today’s society, and even parents who are married are often at odds on what is the best decision for their children. In a situation where a divorce can often be adding additional animosity, finding a middle ground and an agreement between the two parents can be difficult. If the parents are not able to come to an agreement, the next step would be for the matter to be brought before the courts so that a judge can make the final decision.
Source: New York Daily News, “NJ judge rules that taking daughter Pink concert wasn’t bad parenting,” April. 27, 2015
