I feel that Sarah Valerio really missed the point when it comes to what is necessary for successfully raising children. It is not having both a mother and father like she contended; it is a loving and nurturing environment.

If single-parent families are ineffective, it is not because of the absence of parents from both genders. With only one person forced to take the responsibility of both parents, he or she often has to work endless hours to support the children, and this leads to an absence of any parental figure in a child’s life. Resentment and fighting between divorced parents are the real disadvantage children from broken homes face. This is not to say, however, that children from single-parent homes are doomed to a life inadequate in comparison to their peers raised by married parents.

Although parents of the opposite sex raised me, they were not the only role models I had in life. Society provides some excellent role models for children of a single sex upbringing to look up to. When I was growing up, I deeply admired Hillary Rodham Clinton and her accomplishments; even though I had a mother, she was not the only positive female figure that helped shape the person I currently am. I also looked up to male figures as role models. Most people do not discriminate who they look up to based on gender. If a person fits the mold of what you want to be, you will look up to them regardless if they are the same sex as you.

Like I mentioned previously, I have both a mother and father that are active in my life. Growing up is hard no matter who raises you; the difficulties just vary. I remember the embarrassment I used to face when my mom would try to give me “the talk.” I had heard it all from health education, and the last thing I wanted was to hear it again from my mother. Had my father only raised me, I would have eventually found out eventually what was going on; no one will be ruined for life because their mom or dad never talks to them about their teenage bodies. In fact, they may be luckier than the rest of us who did receive the talk.

There are many gay couples just waiting for the chance to provide a loving environment for a child. There is also too many children that are completely parent-less and forced to live in orphanages. You cannot tell me that these children are better off in orphanages than in the loving home of a couple, even if it is a gay couple. Maybe these children if adopted by two same sex members will not have a role model of the opposite sex living in their house, but they will have two parents who will love them unconditionally, and that is ultimately what is the most important factor in successfully raising children.

Tara Glick SMG ’07 732-278-5865