The kids are alright

Are two mums better than a mum and dad? A controversial question, but one that has an answer according to a study published in the US journal of Pediatrics in 2010.

Researchers followed a group of children born to lesbian mothers for nearly 25 years to chart their psychological health and development, with surprising results.

The objective of the study was to document the psychological adjustment of adolescents who were conceived through donor insemination by lesbian mothers. According to the mothers’ reports, the children at 17 were rated significantly higher in social, school/academic, and total competence and significantly lower in social problems, rule-breaking, aggressive, and externalizing problem behavior than their age-matched counterparts.

The author of the study, Nanette Gartrell, has some theories on why this may be the case.

“They are very involved in their children’s lives,” she says of the lesbian parents. “And that is a great recipe for healthy outcomes for children. Being present, having good communication, being there in their schools, finding out what is going on in their schools and various aspects of the children’s lives is very, very important.”

Although active involvement isn’t unique to lesbian households, Gartrell notes that same-sex mothers tend to make that kind of parenting more of a priority. Because their children are more likely to experience discrimination and stigmatisation as a result of their family circumstances, these mothers can be more likely to broach complicated topics, such as sexuality and diversity and tolerance, with their children early on.

Having such a foundation may help to give these children more confidence and maturity in dealing with social differences and prejudices as they get older.

The results in my view are not surprising. Each child conceived within a lesbian relationship is the product of careful planning and a considered desire for motherhood.

By NADINE SHARPE, Rainbow Babies and Kids.