A child doesn't need a "mother and father", a child needs a loving parent. Period.

[Mike 03]

I can't believe we are fighting this battle now, in this day and age. I just heard this report on Out Q, people are still debating if a child needs both a father and mother. A child needs a loving parent, male or female. Two males or two females. It doesn't matter. Love matters. That is all that matters.
Sorry, I am just so angry lately. We need to fix this NOW.

[muntrv]

1. Barack didn't grow up with a father and he turned out just fine.

[HockeyMom]

3. 9/11 and Iraq and Afgan widows

raising kids all alone. Are they blasting them too?

[TheWraith]

7. Plenty of people grow up just fine with one parent.

However, studies have shown that ON AVERAGE, kids are better off being raised by two people, regardless of the nature of the pair. The reasons range from the stability of depending on more than one person, to the fact that two people working together tend to function as a set of checks and balances.

And in any event, Obama didn't grow up raised by just his mother. He also had a stepfather, and to a large extent he was raised by his grandparents.

[SheilaT]

2. Yep.

It's the being loved, being cared for and nurtured, that matters most.

Besides, it's not as if two-parent (one man, one woman) families have perfect kids with no problems.

Every time I hear crap about marriage being only between one man and one woman I think, yeah, the heterosexuals all got it right every time.

[Scottybeamer70]

4. You're right, Mike

I grew up in a house with a mother and a father, and I never heard the word "love", and surely didn't see it in action.
A loving parent of either gender, or two of the same gender, would have been wonderful. I've met people who were reared
by two of the same gender, and they were the happiest people I've ever met. One young lady had both of her dads walk her
down the aisle on her wedding day........she is such a wonderful young lady, with a family of her own now. You're right
on all counts......it's LOVE that counts! Thank you for the insight.

[Evolve_Already]

5. My father is a waste of space.

My siblings cowered to him (still do). An abusive, self righteous, unempathetic, tea-bagger mentality so and so who deserves NOTHING. Instead, he has 2 pensions, ss., medicare, tricare, my moms pension (thanks to the union).

My psyche would be much more calm had I had another parent. 2 moms would have been perfect!

[Prophet 451]

6. I think people confuse "role model" with "parent"

They assume that children need both male and female role models. And that's true, they do. But theose role models don't have to be their parents. A sibling, grandparent, relative, friend of the family or unusually involved teacher will do just fine.