Unwed births rose over the same period, contributing even more single parent households to the American landscape. By 1990, a majority of American children could expect to spend a significant portion of their lives with a single parent. However, these children have a second parent somewhere and may benefit from continued involvement of that parent in their lives. This is the reasoning behind the joint physical and legal custody arrangements now common for divorcing couples in many states. Economic benefits are clear when both parents stay involved, with greater child support compliance for parents in regular contact with their children.
Emotional benefits are likely as well.
Separated parents and their children experience grief over the loss of the parental relationship. In fact, loss of contact with their other parent is children's most frequent complaint about divorce. Joint custody arrangements vary from primary custody with one parent and visitation with the second parent, to fully shared parenting plans with children spending half of the time with each parent. However, all of these plans require considerable effort from the parents involved, setting aside their disagreements as former spouses to work together for the benefit of their children. Children, too, must adjust to living in two homes with frequent transitions in between.