| Family is the essence of life. | | | | teens written by experts. |
| Maintaining the core of the family is as | | | | Parents in Adult News section offers |
| basic as life gets. But, right wing | | | | recent news stories about the struggles |
| politicians, conservative religious | | | | parents in the adult industry face with |
| zealots and even family members can | | | | lifestyle opposition from relatives, |
| threaten adult industry workers with the | | | | in-laws, government agencies, and the |
| loss of custody of their children. How | | | | courts. |
| can they do this? | | | | Legal Spotlight will offer articles |
| Government agencies are empowered to | | | | written by lawyers and legal experts. |
| "protect the welfare of minor children | | | | Attorney Directory will offer a list of |
| from physical, mental, and emotional | | | | nationwide sympathetic attorneys. |
| abuse". The powers granted to these | | | | Resources include links to liberal |
| agencies permit them (with the aid of | | | | organizations (ACLU, Free Speech |
| local police) to remove children from | | | | Coalition) and parenting links (Dr. |
| their homes; seek court orders to place | | | | Spock and Parenting.com). |
| the children in foster homes or | | | | Articles cover important topics like |
| terminate all parental rights. | | | | unfounded child abuse cases, myths of |
| Family courts decide whether to remove | | | | the adult industry, and curbing the |
| children from homes, limit parental | | | | power of state agencies. |
| visitations, place children in foster | | | | While this website is a good idea, it |
| homes or state institutions, or | | | | has shortcomings. |
| terminate parental rights. | | | | News stories are old like the 2003 |
| Divorce courts determine which parent | | | | article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |
| has sole custody of their children, or | | | | about how a former stripper regained |
| decide upon joint custody with set | | | | custody of her 8-year-old son after |
| visitation rights. | | | | losing him to the paternal grandparents |
| Outsiders challenging parental rights | | | | for 15 months. The most recent News |
| include relatives, grandparents, and | | | | posted was dated 2006. |
| in-laws of the children. Anyone can | | | | Several click here buttons did not work, |
| complain to a government child | | | | such as, history article, membership, |
| protection agency. Relatives can file a | | | | sponsors, attorney directory, community |
| lawsuit with a family court challenging | | | | boards, and legal spotlight. Since this |
| the fitness of parents and petition for | | | | organization began in 2004, one would |
| the custody of children. | | | | expect better links and updated content. |
| Are You A "Fit" Parent? | | | | In spite of these shortcomings, useful |
| What is the definition of a "Fit" | | | | information is available on their |
| parent? No state law or court case has | | | | website. |
| ever defined what a "Fit" parent is. | | | | How to Win a Child Custody Challenge |
| Instead, courts attempt to define an | | | | The Best Interests of the Child is the |
| "Unfit" parent. | | | | legal standard all of these laws, court |
| Unfit parents come in different | | | | cases, and government agencies abide by. |
| categories: | | | | What does it mean? Many family law firms |
| Parents who physically abuse their | | | | and child psychologists emphasize the |
| children by causing bodily harm are | | | | following guidelines, which judges look |
| considered unfit. | | | | at when deciding what is best for the |
| Parents who cause mental or emotional | | | | child: |
| harm to their children are also unfit. | | | | Time - How much time do the parents |
| Parents who actually cause or allow | | | | spend with their children? Are they so |
| others to sexually abuse their children | | | | busy as to neglect their children of |
| are unfit as well. | | | | parental love and care? |
| Failure to allow proper medical | | | | Money - Do the parents have the |
| treatment whether because of religious | | | | financial resources to provide adequate |
| or cultural beliefs have resulted in | | | | food, shelter, clothing, education, and |
| courts finding the parents to be unfit. | | | | health care? Must the state intercede to |
| Neglect by not properly housing, | | | | provide assistance with any of these |
| clothing, feeding, or educating their | | | | necessities of life? |
| children will get you labeled as an | | | | Stability - Moving children to different |
| unfit parent. | | | | homes often traumatizes them by losing |
| Lifestyle is another area where claims | | | | friends and adjusting to new |
| of child abuse or neglect occur. Parents | | | | environments. |
| who are nudists or who work with adult | | | | Neglect - Even if parents earn good |
| entertainment industries can be exposed | | | | incomes, do not move homes often, and |
| as "unfit parents" by religious | | | | spend lots of time with their children; |
| conservatives, family value politicians, | | | | if they neglect the necessities, |
| nosey neighbors, and relatives. | | | | emotional and mental needs, courts |
| Are there any groups or organizations | | | | consider them unfit. |
| providing assistance against challenges | | | | Abuse - Have parents physically, |
| of unfit parents due to legal | | | | emotionally, or sexually abused their |
| "Lifestyle" choices? | | | | children? Have they allowed others to |
| PARENTS IN ADULT (PIA) is a support | | | | abuse their children? |
| group dedicated towards helping parents | | | | Legal lifestyles of the parents often |
| who work in the adult industry. PIA | | | | are not directly challenged, but used as |
| provides adult industry parents with | | | | an excuse to claim that one or some of |
| help, support and answers with parenting | | | | the five above conditions occurred. How |
| and custody issues. | | | | do you defend against such lifestyle |
| Parents in Adult started because of | | | | challenges? |
| adult industry owners' personal | | | | Proof of being "Unfit" |
| experience with a child custody battle | | | | Rather than you having to prove you are |
| in the courts. Tracey Potoski (also | | | | "Fit", challengers must prove the |
| known as Brandi Love) and her husband | | | | parents are "unfit". The courts rely on |
| Chris (co-owners of NakedRhino Media) | | | | Experts like psychiatrists, |
| successfully fought off attempts by | | | | psychologists, medical doctors, family |
| their families to remove their | | | | counselors, and clergy. The defense can |
| 5-year-old daughter from their home. The | | | | hire their own experts to testify their |
| allegations of child abuse were solely | | | | lifestyle choices do not harm their |
| based on their adult industry lifestyle. | | | | children's well being. |
| NakedRhino Media in partnership with AVN | | | | In conclusion, government agencies, |
| (AVN.com) formed Parents in Adult in | | | | family courts, parents filing for |
| 2004 as a response to the Potoski child | | | | divorce, and even outsiders can dispute |
| custody battle. | | | | your parental rights. They will try to |
| PIA website (ParentsInAdult.com) offers | | | | find experts to testify that you, the |
| resources for the unique parenting | | | | parents are not "fit". Your best defense |
| challenges while involved in the adult | | | | against these challenges is your |
| industry. Their Progressive Parenting | | | | lifestyle with your kids. It would be |
| section offers child developmental | | | | wise to create a lifestyle with your |
| expert advice and articles with | | | | children that establishes a history of |
| provoking insights of parenting of | | | | you as fit and shows that to your world. |
| toddlers, pre-school, pre-teens, and | | | | |