PARENTING

Ideally parents would stay together but unfortunately divorce is common. It is also a serious stress factor on our military. Problems with relationships and divorce are not only a stress factor, it is one of the leading reasons for military suicides.

The 2009 Residential Time Summary Report, published and researched by our Administrator of the Court office in Olympia shows that about 2/3rds of non-custodial parents get almost 1/3rd shared parenting time. Children benefit with two parents and 1/3rd shared parenting gives a parent substantial time with their children.

Unfortunately, the Residential Time Summary Report also shows that low-income parents who cannot afford an attorney, lose time with their children. Military personnel need to be protected from losing their children when they are away serving our country.

Having served as an Army paratrooper with the 27th Engineer Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, I know that the military provides enough stress just serving. We do not need to add more stress for members of our military when they are reduced to weekend parents while they are serving us.

We need Senate Bill 5342 to make shared parenting a standard for fit parents. We all like to see military members reunited with their families when the return from overseas. We need to ensure all our military members can see their children a substantial amount of time when they return by making Senate Bill 5342 a law.

Gene Wing

Soap Lake graduate

B Company, 27th Engineer Battalion