We all know that for a kid having just a parent can become quite a problem. The ideal situation is when both parents can take care of the kid and they all life happily as a family.

Still ... there are situations when living in a full family might not be the best idea. I would think about one of the parents having blatant affairs outside the marriage, alcohol and drugs abuse, maybe fights in the family (an abusive husband).

Do you also consider in this case that it's better for a kid to remain with one parent? Aren't they serious enough to cause such a breakup? Do you have any experience in this?

I definitely think there are situations where its better to have one parent. If the parent is emotionally or physically abusive to the other parent or the child its not good for anyone involved. Yes the proverbial American dream with two parents, 2.5 kids, 2.8 pets and a house with a white picket fence is a pretty dream but its not very feasible these days for the average person. If one parent is able to be there emotionally for the child(ren) then why add a possible detrimental variable?

It's always better of course to have a two parent home. If there is abuse then the abuser should have limited access to the child. Many times though I think we 'chuck' a marriage or relationship for silly reasons, without taking the childs well being into account. I think affairs, (and rather the aftermath) in many situations would qualify (in my book) as abusive.

Sorry but I think that the abuser should have NO access to the child. Where any negligence or abuse goes on, that parent should automatically have lost the child. The child deserves better and will learn nothing but how to continue the cycle of abuse if they are exposed to that parent.

I grew up in a household were world war three seemed to occur every night of the week because of my alcoholic father. I wished my mom had left him sooner, staying at that house and putting up with him really screwed my relationships up. My husband can't have a beer without me looking at him in disgust, I see my father in his eyes.