to think most people on here don't understand the point of contact

[Batmanwearspants]

Theres tons of posts on here about contact with the NRP and it always seems to boil down to "well if he wants contact he should..." or "She shouldn't get contact because...". Is it only me who thinks contact is never about the rights of the parents but whats in the best interest for the child?

And that would rarely include a parent who can't be bothered. Far worse for the child's self esteem to force contact with a reluctant "father" than grow up without that person.

Yeah I guess I would be 'one of those' parents. To me, the rights of my child include consistency & stability, so a father who shows up as & when he can be arsed is a no go in my book. I would much rather sit my daughter down at a later stage & explain why her waster of a dad isn't around than have her sat at the door in shoes & coat waiting for a man I know isn't going to show.

She deserves her emotional & mental health being cared for more than some man child deserves the 'right' to drop her like a hobby

Of course it's about the child - and most people (rightly) believe that an absent parent is better than one who consistently makes promises they can't keep, and lets down their children on a regular basis.

Exactly what mustbemad said. I stopped contact with my kids dad as my children have right to not be hurt and let down constantly.

To me the completely fair 50% arrangements seem the worst of all worlds for the child. They don't get anywhere to think of as home.

But at some point surely it isn't worth having the contact. Examples I've seen on here are nrps who constantly get their kids hopes up and then cancel or those who consistently palm them off on a not established partner while they go to work/do a hobby. Then there are the ones who aren't particularly nice to their kids.

Tips I often wonder about 50/50 too. Sod having to traipse between two houses constantly

It should be about the children. It often isn't.

Far too many custody/contact issues seem to revolve around the rights of the parents. And very rarely have i personally seen people advocating cutting wasters out. When the bare bones of it is, the emotional damage a jack in the box NRP can do to a child is huge. Everything is always about the RP having the children available & the NRP taking that opportunity if they want. I've seen it a few times on here, contact is about offering the NRP the choice not about forcing them to have contact. Personally i think it's disgusting