Lesbian mothers: My two mums

[Loki]

Lesbian mothers: My two mums

A recent study found that children raised by lesbian couples were often brighter, happier and more confident than kids brought up in more traditional family units. Here, four women-only households describe their experiences of parenthood – and why tolerance and honesty are the key



Do lesbian mums make the best parents? According to research released earlier this year, children raised by two mothers do better academically, have higher self-esteem and are less likely to have behavioural problems than peers who have been brought up in a family with two heterosexual parents.

The 25-year study, published by the American journal Pediatrics, followed 78 couples who conceived using donor sperm. The mothers were interviewed during pregnancy and the children were tested and interviewed at ages 2, 5, 10 and 17, along with their parents. The study found that children raised by lesbian mothers scored similarly to children raised by heterosexual parents on measures of development and social behaviour. However, children raised in lesbian homes scored higher than kids in straight families on psychological measures of self-esteem and confidence, and did better at school. And while 26% of American teens report physical abuse by a parent, not a single case was found among the children in their study.

What do the results mean: that lesbian women are more committed parents? Or, perhaps, that early teaching about diversity, sexuality and tolerance is the key to raising emotionally intelligent, confident kids?

We met four different families living in the UK, to talk about both the benefits and the challenges of raising children with two mums. In each case, it was noticeable that both mothers were equally involved in all aspects of their children's lives; and that they consider open communication with their children to be crucial. They shared with us their style of parenting, how they explain the difference of their situation to their children – and whether attitudes towards gay families have really changed.

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[Grumpy Cat]

I couldn't imagine. If you're a daughter and you have two lesbian moms, you don't have a father to give your boyfriend the "treat my daughter right or you'll be sucking up the rest of your meals through a straw" lecture.

A recent study found that children raised by lesbian couples were often brighter, happier and more confident than kids brought up in more traditional family units.

Sounds fishy to me. I have a hard time believing that, because those kids would be bullied like anything.

[Osweo]

LATEST NEWS!

Studies by SCIENTISTS prove that raising children in State Boarding Schools vastly improves their general well-being, health and intelligence!

- Leningrad, 1924

[Grumpy Cat]

LATEST NEWS!

Studies by SCIENTISTS prove that raising children in State Boarding Schools vastly improves their general well-being, health and intelligence!

- Leningrad, 1924

Yeah I think the Canadian government said the same of Indian Residential Schools.

[jerney]

From what I've gathered the majority of lesbian/gay couples who have kids are usually older, in long term relationships and are financially and emotionally stable people. It's really unfair to compare that to the far more numerous heterosexual households where you will find these issues a lot more regularly. Is a kid with "two moms" going to be happier than a kid with male/female parents constantly arguing or stressing out about money? Probably.

[Great Dane]

The 25-year study, published by the American journal Pediatrics, followed 78 couples who conceived using donor sperm.

Father's genetic contribution would factor in to academic performance. Sperm banks to an extent practice eugenics. I'm sure the lesbian mothers are looking for donors with high IQs and maybe other special, gifted talents. Many sperm banks recruit post graduate students at universities as donors. They are not collecting sperm from inmates at San Quentin. It is a lot like the livestock sperm trade.

Sounds fishy to me. I have a hard time believing that, because those kids would be bullied like anything.

Maybe they are raising the kids in a gay-lesbian enclave.

If there are two women sharing mother-duties then the children might be better off in that regard in contrast to children of single mothers. But there is still a father figure absent and fathers are still important.

[Curtis24]

Confusion of causation vs. correlation. If two lesbian mothers are willing and able to buck the trend of traditional households, and able to live with the fallout, they are probably highly emotionall stable and organized. Traits which lead to better raised children.

YOu see the same thing with children raised in single-father households - those fathers strong and persistent enough to overcome the myriad prejudices against single fathers, are good at raising kids.

[Crossbow]

Indeed,like always, it depends on the standards used, and who drawed them up.

[Monolith]

Yeah, let's all be lesbians!

[Grumpy Cat]

Indeed,like always, it depends on the standards used, and who drawed them up.

Standards probably drawn up by the PC brigade. That and they probably compared the best of the kids from lesbian household with the worst of kids from traditional families, skewing the results.

Plus, these kids are still kids. Wait until they're adults and get back to me.