P. J. O'Rourke Quotes

A man divorcing would never be accused of choosing career over children.

I was a lawyer and I loved it, but my Francesca was born, and a divorce followed way too soon after.

But I'm a great father. That's why I got custody.

An adversarial family law system raises the stakes unnecessarily high, exacerbates the antagonism of the couples concerned, and is directly responsible for making it impossible for couples who would otherwise have reconciled to do so.

Remember there is no way you can give the father custody of the children without getting a divorce.

I know what "custody" [of the children] means. "Get even." That's all custody means. Get even with your old lady.

I researched children's rights, divorce law, and parental kidnapping. Millions of children and parents are touched by the inadequacy of the legal system to deal with the human heart.

My lawyer is telling me I have to take some responsibility about the welfare of the children. Do I want the kids? Hell no. Does it look good for me to ask for them? Absolutely. I don't want to look like the woman who gave away her kids and just forgot about them.

When my parents got divorced, there was a custody fight over me. ... and no one showed up.

I have three adopted children with Phil, and for years I was fighting in court with him over being able to see my kids. I was always going back and forth to California, going to court, and I was never able to get a project going.

Living apart is hardly possible if people have children together. It can also be more expensive to maintain two homes. But then, it's expensive to break up when you live in one property.

When it comes to determining child custody, however, sexism is the rule.

Until I separated from Parker, I had never been without them-and it's the hardest thing to share them. But we're trying to give the children the semblance of having whole lives.

I can't go too much into my domestic life because there are ex-wives ready to do me in.

My parents divorced after 25 years of marriage.

Divorce is a game played by lawyers.

Dissolution and custody matters are the great equalizers. Having done this for a while, you do realize that everybody has the same issues. It doesn't matter how much money you have or how much power you have, you are always afraid you're never going to see your child.

Divorce is expensive. I used to joke they were going to call it 'all the money,' but they changed it to 'alimony.' It's ripping your heart out through your wallet.

If a man wish to separate from a woman who has borne him children, or from his wife who has borne him children: then he shall give that wife her dowry, and a part of the usufruct of field, garden, and property, so that she can rear her children. When she has brought up her children, a portion of all that is given to the children, equal as that of one son, shall be given to her. She may then marry the man of her heart.

I am not willing to comment in public on the custody discussions regarding my children. What I will say is this: I am and always will be a mother first, but as a single working mom I will do everything necessary to provide for my kids despite the opinions of others.

Our children are better served by speaking not of visitation versus custody, but of parent time.

A decent person does not alienate children from a parent, no matter how angry they are at the parent for the divorce. It's unfair to the children, and it's unfair to the other human being

After a divorce, men's biggest fear is, typically, losing their children (women's is poverty).

[With respect to child custody] a woman has no right to a unilateral choice that affects the rest of a man's life any more than a man would have the right to a unilateral choice that affects the rest of a woman's life.

It was tough being a single mom. It was tough being in a divorce with children. Very, very hard.