Having worked with enough mothers facing termination of their parental rights, which is different and more serious that a custody fight in a divorce case, I have a different take on all the Britney Spears hoopla.
I've seen mothers shave their heads, and all their other body hair. Why? To avoid a hair follicle test which would reveal their alcohol and drug usage over the past 3 months.
I've seen mothers not see their babies for weeks, or months, at a time. It's not a big issue for them, it's a different perspective.
And, no, I can't say that I understand it. And, yes, lots of these women have serious issues - sometimes, it's mental (bipolar disorder, schizophernia, etc.) and sometimes it's physical (alcoholism, drug additions). Sometimes, it's both. Many folk suffering mental illness tend to self-medicate with booze and drugs. There are also the ones who don't fit into these categories, and just aren't fazed by the separation. There's no easy explanation for this category of mom....
Here's the thing: I've seen a lot of these CPS-case mothers simply get pregnant again. Sometimes, it's with the same husband or boyfriend (the lingo is "paramour" in the courtroom), sometimes it's someone new.
And, having watch Britney's behavior - especially over the last few weeks - I'm betting that she will be pregnant very soon. Without a husband this time.
And, I'm betting that California's Department of Child Protective Services will become involved at that juncture ....
Let's see if I'm right.