She gets the kids he gets the bills

Why is it when men and women split its automatically assumed the women get the children? I have a real issue with that undocumented 'mandate'. (Unless you're Jon from "- Kate" shit all them damn kids? She got that! Just kidding)See women think the children are more theirs than it is a 50/50 split. Unless you were IV'd ladies you need the man just as much as he needed you to create this miracle. Women are the soil, the dirt-oops I mean the Earth, in which men plant the seed the oven in which men place the turkey or the proverbial "bun". The man places the ingredients for the child into the women. But I have women who insist they are more responsible for the birth of the child. Now granted I take nothing away from a woman's strong display during pregnancy. During pregnancy is like that adage about the bacon and egg breakfast: women became the pig and the men become the chickens in the bacon and egg breakfast. Meaning the mans involved but the woman's committed! But as for conception its 50/50 if not more towards the man in terms of "responsibility". But however the pregnancy stage does not give the woman the right to claim the child as "more hers" than the fathers. I believe that only men can raise men. So if I'm ever in a relationship that doesn't work and we have a son please believe I strongly support the notion that the boy should go with the father. Legal systems with its custody battles have it way too screwed up. Especially considering that some men pay child support for children that were proven in a court of law not to be theirs! Sorry ladies as progressive as I try to be I guess I'm old fashioned on this one to the men belong the sons.

Simplicity: (not really sure if I got that bacon and eggs metaphor Sean... but I'ma let you rock with that one : p )
Seeing as that I do not have a child, I'm not sure with how much validity I can speak. However,
I am aware of one too many situations where dramatic lifestyles are being lived out with regard to babies and parents.
Not being a mom, ladies, I can't quite argue for us keeping the kid especially as Sean makes a very good point:
If the man is willing to provide and support his son, he is the best person to raise him into a true, "man."
The same goes for women, a girl raised in the environment of a man without any female mother figures will view life from a different perspective than one raised by a woman.
Granted, I can't sit here and say that these two circumstances are inevitably tragic, because it's been done before but the bond between a mother and daughter and that between a man and woman is one that can not be replaced or regenerated with anyone else. I think it's a shame that we fall victim to the struggles of custody because if those in relationships could simply calm down and realize... this can be done. we both can be the parents of our children and make the compromise to willingly let the rightful person have the child the world would be a much more civilized place. However, this is not our dreams come true and reality is, many women do feel that carrying a child for 9 months warrants them all rights and custody to him or her.
Sean, you can't imagine the feelings that arise inside of a woman even when she simply suspects she's pregnant and doesn't know if she is or she isn't. But, at the same time the two of you felt a certain way about each other at a certain time which created this beautiful child so that same love and care that nurtured the baby thus far should be a great factor in the decision. It should not be a matter of arguing and who can provide the most supporting evidence for who is entitled to the child because frankly, you're right. It is a 50/50 process in terms of conception and those women who don't understand that it's a great thing to have a man wanting to own up to and care for his son are the one's that you should have avoided in the first place, because ultimately she never understood you to begin with!
While this is a scenario no one in a relationship looks forward to or plans for it is something that in this day and age should be looked at and addressed prior to any long term commitments even if its in a hypothetical sense, this way both men and women will know what possibilities exist.
I support the ratified "mandate" and agree that it should not be a fight or struggle and that this understanding should be enforced earlier than later.

P.s. just because the baby lives with one parent or another, does not mean the one he or she is not with falls absent to their upbringing, it just means he or she will be raised in one respect compared to another.