ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, August 25, 1996 TAG: 9608270056
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
FOR EVERY deadbeat parent who reneges on his or her responsibility to make child-support payments, there are many more dads and moms living apart from their children who go to extra lengths to see that their kids are taken care of financially.
A reminder of this came in a recent news article about an insurance policy that's come on the market. Said to be the first of its type in the nation, it offers coverage to pay monthly child-support payments if the obligated parent should lose his or her job.
Among the takers quoted was John Corner, a Fort Wayne, Ind., used-car salesman and divorced father of two. ``The bottom line,'' he said, "is that my kids would suffer if they didn't get this money.''
This is no endorsement for the insurance product. The small print in insurance policies can be tricky for consumers, and we don't know if this particular package is a good deal.
Nor should such products be seen as a substitute in any way for stronger and better-coordinated official efforts, including by law enforcement authorities, to pursue deadbeat parents and require them to live up to their obligations. Only lately have such efforts been beefed up, and they need to be further expanded.
Even so, we strongly endorse the attitude of Corner and others like him who care enough about their absentee children's welfare to plan for possible setbacks in their own fortunes. Too many do the opposite: conniving even to the extent of walking out on their jobs or moving out of state to avoid making child-support payments.
Unfortunately for many thousands of youngsters, there is no insurance policy they can take out for protection against the breakdown of a parent's conscience. No warranties, either, on the responsibility parts. No lemon laws.
All the more reason to be thankful that there are many more good, loving parents and family providers than there are clunkers.
LENGTH: Short : 42 linesby CNB