Deadbeat Mom?

A lot of people think that mothers can only be nurturing and loving towards their children. However, if you watch the news, you know that always isn't true though the news doesn't seem to publicize it as much when a mother behaves unethically or illegally as much as they do fathers (hence the "deadbeat dad" phrase being so well-known). How often do you hear the news mentioning the term "deadbeat mom"? Not often, let me tell you. In fact, I don't hear it from the general public. When the news discusses non-payment of child support, it's not mentioned how many mothers have fallen into support arrears or just aren't court ordered to pay child support for their children. It's always the "deadbeat dad" chant that can probably be heard around the world.

It seems like dads are presumed deadbeats. That was my impression when dealing with the family courts, sad to say.

Being a stepmother with involvement with hundreds of other stepmothers over the last decade or more, I have heard the term used more often by individual families. There are mothers who either aren't court ordered to pay child support on their children if they are the non-custodial parent. If they are court ordered and fall into arrears, the court is less likely to legally enforce the child support order. If they do fall behind, the fathers are less likely to pursue it as well (though if it were reversed and dad was in arrears, it'd be a different story most likely).

I wonder why? Why aren't mothers held to the same ethical and legal standards as fathers are? I know there are some areas in the country that do hold them to the same standards but I think there are more that don't seem to.

Just one of those random thoughts that flitter through my brain periodically.