Parenting in Kansas
by: Brittany Nordstrom
Biological Father
A male who has sired or transmitted his genes to an offspring
Facts:
- 24 million children (34 percent) live absent their biological father.
-43 percent of first marriages dissolve within fifteen years; about 60 percent of divorcing couples have children; and approximately one million children each year experience the divorce of their parents
-Children with involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior, and avoid high-risk behaviors such as drug use, truancy, and criminal activity compared to children who have uninvolved fathers.
Biological Mother
A female who has conceived and given birth to an offspring
Facts:
-Married mothers tend to create a better home environment for their infants.
-Married mothers are less likely to experience abuse and violence.
Presumed Father
Legal term for a make who is married to the biological mother, signed an acknowledgement of paternity, or whose name is on the birth certificate
Facts:
-Some jurisdictions take the presumption of paternity one step further by not allowing a man to disprove biological paternity through DNA.
-In many states, the husband of a married woman who bears a child is automatically presumed to be the father.
Alleged Father
A legal term for a male who may be legally married but not living with his wife and not divorced or who may be part of a relationship outside of marriage.
Facts:
-An alleged father has the right to receive official notice that he has been named as the possible birth father of the child and that the child is being put up for adoption.
-If there may be more than one possible father and the birth mother is unsure of the identity of the biological father, the court can terminate the rights of as many men as may potentially be the father.