Raising Kids

Lesbian Mothers: A New Study Shows What We Already Knew , by Angela Watson :: A University of Southern California study has found that children raised in lesbian households needn’t worry about how their kids will grow up. But we already knew that, right? more »

LGBT Holidays and Observances , by glbtq.com :: Holidays and cultural observances bring people together for both celebration and reflection. Throughout the year, the glbtq community unites in pride and in protest, in recognition of a rich heritage and in hope for the future. more »

Fathering 56 children? , by The Rainbow Babies :: Parents who used sperm or egg donors to conceive are increasingly going online to see if their children have any genetic half-siblings. And according to a new study, they are not only finding them in spades—one parent found at least 55 other children from the same sperm donor—but also, surprisingly, often forming strong relationships with them “based on notions of family and kinship.” more »

Tips for LGBT Parents , by Alistair Hunt :: Parenting has undoubtedly become a more complicated reality than ever before. One of the more divisive issues in modern parenting is LGBT parenting. Although it is true that gay or lesbian parents may have existed prior to this century, this issue has become more conspicuous in the 21st century. more »

Rainbow Booklist 2009 , by The Rainbow Project :: The 2008-09 Rainbow List is here! The Rainbow Project is a bibliography of recommended books dealing with GLBTQI topics for youths through 18 years. Click to find further recommended kid’s books. more »

Children of Lesbian Families Happy and Healthy, Despite Homophobia , by Dana Rudolph :: In a recent study, just over half the teens felt their mothers had adequately prepared them to deal with homophobia. [An] important way the mothers did so was by embracing their own lesbian identities. Read to find further surprising facts about growing up in a lesbian household. more »

Dealing with Death and Dying in GLBT Families :: Death is a normal part of life, but that doesn’t make it easy to deal with. GLBT families have an added difficulty, as bereaved gay or lesbian partners are often not given the same recognition and support as heterosexual widows and widowers. Although it is hard to read about this sensitive topic, take the time to read about the very important family issue. more »

First Aid Kit Essentials :: With summer here and lots of time being spent outdoors as a family, bumps, bruises, scrapes and sprains are bound to happen. These ten items should be in your traveling first aid kit. more »

LGBT Populations Reads More Blogs Than Heterosexual Counterparts :: Just over half (51 percent) of the gay and lesbian respondents reported reading some type of blog, compared to 36 percent of heterosexual adults. This is some interesting info on who we are as a community and culture. more »

Open Letter to the Boy Scouts of America , by Jennifer Schumaker :: It is sometimes disheartening that a revolution is required for me to be accepted for who I am. But in my fervor to prevent my son and others from feeling the ostracism I have felt – let alone the violence and humiliation so many before me suffered and many still suffer— I will continue to participate in the revolution. I will turn the oppressor/oppressed relationship around so that it can be viewed and experienced as it really occurs. more »

Married with Children: Including the Kids in Your Gay Wedding , by Katharine Swan :: The marriage, or remarriage, of a parent can be a difficult time for a child. He or she has to adjust not only to a new parent, but also to his or her new roles in an expanded family. In gay and lesbian unions, this dynamic may be further complicated by the child’s struggle to come to terms with having an openly nontraditional family. Many parents – whether gay, lesbian, or straight – know that the best way to prepare a child for something is to make them feel important. more »

When Should Your Kids “Come Out”? , by Kristen Beireis :: As the daughter of a lesbian, I’ve been asked this question a few times. Most of the time, people expect me to give them an age range. Unfortunately, it’s not about age or even maturity. It’s time for your kids to come out when they are READY to come out. As GLBT parents, it’s your job to educate them on the choices and consequences of “coming out.” more »

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage, by Katharine Swan :: Gay and lesbian newlyweds have a lot to consider before deciding to become parents. What may have seemed like a simple decision initially begins to take on epic proportions. Having children is a big decision, however, and should not be undertaken lightly. Here are five important factors that should go into your decision-making process. more »

Pioneering My Daily Suburban Pride Parade, by Jennifer Schumaker :: “I am Out. Very, very out. And I live in Suburbia. I was prepared for the two existences not to mesh. After all, I see an average of one rainbow sticker every two weeks, and I sometimes have to dash to Trader Joe’s whether I need groceries or not, because I know I will probably be able to get an LGBT fix…” Read Jennifer’s humorous account on trying to be Out and Proud in a really redneck area. more »

Practical Tips for Lesbian and Gay Parents Raising Teenagers, by Tony Madril, MSW, BCD :: No doubt adolescence is tough. And for teens growing-up in lesbian and gay households, it can be even tougher. Nevertheless, lesbian and gay parents who are aware of the particular challenges their teens are likely to face can respond with a set of interventions that are meaningful as they are practical. Delivered thoughtfully, these focused actions can help lesbian and gay parents ease the stress of a sometimes burdensome period of family life. more »

Maybe Tango’s Mommy is “T”?, by Jennifer Schumaker :: Seeking and forming a same-sex amorous union is as natural for me as it is for Roy and Silo, and their little Tango is a well-adjusted offspring, who, by all appearances, is growing to be a happy and productive member of her community, just like my four offspring. And the other penguins never stop and stare at the rainbow waterfowl. Heck, the three of them just look darn happy. Read this amusing viewpoint on gay penguins and well, just about everyone else, too. more »

Things To Do Or How To Make The World A Better Place For Gays And Lesbians, by Angela Watson :: Face it, this is the age Nintendo and XBox. As parents, we want our kids to become well-rounded adults and we know one of the ways to do this is to encourage them to read, by reading TO them when they are small and reading WITH them when they get bigger. This especially rings true for boys who have to cope with a higher rate of ADHD and lower reading and comprehension scores. more »

Gay and Lesbian Parents: How to Get Involved in Your Child’s Life, by Katharine Swan :: Your child spends almost as much time at school as the average adult spends at a full-time job. Therefore, in order to be more involved in your child’s life, it makes sense to go where they spend the majority of their time. more »

Halloween Hauntings in Hallowed Suburbia, by Jennifer Schumaker :: There is much haunting afoot, not the least scary of which is the lesson that living my sexuality is a sin. It was taught to me by Mother Church and is still being fed like stale grain from dilapidated silos to countless lesbian and gay youth. more »

The Difference Between You and Your Kids, by Kristen Beireis :: You are a model for your kids. Know that they are watching how you handle being LGBT in society and that’s how they will learn. Honor their differences and allow them to choose how THEY want to be. Let them experiment. Read here for a great account on how to give your kids the space the deserve AND need more »

Gay and Lesbian Parenting: Finding an Opposite Gender Influence for Your Child, by Katharine Swan :: Many gay and lesbian parents worry about how it will affect their child to grow up without both a mother and a father. As a result, many GLBT families make an effort to find an opposite gender influence for their child. Gender role models are easier to find than you might think – after all, you have half the population to choose from. more »

Helping Your Kids Explain What it Means to Have Two Mommies or Daddies, by Katharine Swan :: Let’s face it – not every child has two equally devoted parents. Your child does, though, and he or she can use that to make his nontraditional family the subject of envy instead of derision. Knowing other kids who have two mommies or daddies can be extraordinarily helpful not only for the children of gay or lesbian parents, but kids of other family combinations as well. Read this article for some wonderful insights on helping your children explain why they have “Two Mommies or Two Daddies.” more »

Who’s Your Daddy? Or, How to Maintain Your Sex Life as a Gay Father, by Randy Beach :: Gay men face unique challenges as they work their way into life with kids, challenges that are informed in many ways by the diverse sexual backgrounds from which gay men come and the wide variety of labels, subsets, and identifiers that make up the gay male community. The idea of maintaining a healthy sex life after kids for gay men often depends on how healthy their sex life was before the child entered the picture. more »

Teaching Our Children to Stand Up to Homophobia, by Katharine Swan :: You’ve no doubt heard the saying, “Monkey see, monkey do.” In fact, children do much of their learning by observation and imitation, meaning your child learns how to handle homophobia in part by watching how you handle it. So, read this article and find some useful tips on being the kind of monkey your child should imitate! more »

Now That You’re A Parent…, by Angela Watson :: Toxic excretion? Collision of “theory” and “practice”? I really AM just like my parents? Who knew there were so many wonderful things about parenthood? Read this humorous take on the subtle little changes that affect nearly all parents. more »

Having a Sex Life AND Being a Lesbian Mom, by Amy Wimburger :: “I know there are those of you for whom the passion is only heightened by the presence of children, by the forming of a family. This article isn’t for you. But please, write me care of TheRainbowBabies.com and let me know your secrets. For me, personally, it took a little work.” Amy writes about how lesbian moms might preserve and maybe even grow your sex lives with children. Click below to read this light-hearted look at one of the facets of lesbian motherhood. more »

Finding Gay-Positive Daycare, by Katharine Swan :: Any gay or lesbian parent knows how difficult it is to find quality daycare for their child. Not only are we faced with the same hurdles that heterosexual parents have to cross – finding childcare that provides a safe, secure, and mentally stimulating environment – we also have the added challenge of seeking out childcare that will teach our children to feel proud, rather than ashamed, of who their family is. Click below to read up on some pointers for this important decision. more »

What to Say When Your Child Asks: Why Do People Have to Come Out?, by Beth Reis, Safe Schools Coalition :: As LGBT parents, the time will come when our children will ask us: Why DO people come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender? How will you answer this really important question from your child? Read here for some really good responses to this issue. more »

The Internet And Your Teenager, by Tony Lindsey :: What’s your child posting online? Experts recommend that parents monitor how much information their kids reveal about themselves. MySpace and similar sites like Xanga are extremely popular among teens and young adults who post profiles, photos and blogs—often chock-full of revealing personal details for all the world (including predators) to see. As the number of teens on the Net rises, so do the worries about keeping them safe. Membership in MySpace has jumped from zero to more than 50 million in just two years. Read this article for REAL tips on how handle this important topic. more »

Protecting Your Children, As much as we’d all like to trust everyone that comes into contact with our children, whether casually or regularly, we know that we must always be on the alert to things or situations that might spell unsafe conditions. This article is a checklist of items parents should keep in mind when sending your kids out into the world. more »

How to Protect Your Family, by Joyce Kauffman, Esq. :: This opinion piece, originally published in Massachusetts Bay Windows newspaper, talks about keeping your children at the forefront of every decision, especially when things in your relationship aren’t going so well.

A Family’s Guide to Handling Anti-Gay Harassment, reprinted from The Safe Schools Coalition, Seattle, Washington Safe Schools Coalition website :: Your child deserves a safe education no matter what his or her race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, language of origin, or physical or mental abilities. You obviously agree or you wouldn’t have read this far. Your child is lucky to have you for a parent. Together, you can help your school become a safe place.. more »

What To Ask School Board Candidates, reprinted from The Safe Schools Coalition, Seattle, Washington Safe Schools Coalition website :: Some voters prefer idealism and passion in a candidate. Others prefer pragmatism. Know that, in some more conservative school districts, giving a “best” answer (below) might be political suicide. A candidate who gives you a “good” or “better” answer may be more electable than one who gives you a “best” answer. And he or she may, in the long run, be a more effective agent of change depending upon his or her people skills.. more »

To Tell or Not To Tell, That IS the Question!, by Jennifer Polk, MA, Ed. :: A new school year has just begun and I’m sure many of you may have been wondering and maybe worrying about this: as parents, should we tell the teacher we are gay or not? . more »

20 Best Tips to Being a New Parent, by Jennifer Polk, M.A., Ed. :: Written by a mom who has been through it all, these tips will be helpful for any expecting or new parents. Heck, if even you’re a seasoned parent veteran, you’ll find some cool stuff in this article. . more »

Ten Tips For Growing A Child, by Judith E. Beckett, R.N. :: A child raised with compassion is a gift to the world… . more »

Making Your House Safe, by Katharine Swan :: Perhaps because no such precautions are needed during infancy, parents are often bewildered when their once-peaceful babies start crawling, walking, and happily getting into everything. To prevent such a rude awakening, it’s important to plan ahead, and start baby-proofing your home long before your child takes that first step. more »

Top 10 Books for Babies and Toddlers, by Jennifer Polk, MA, Ed. :: This list, prepared by a elementary education teacher, spotlight some teriffic books for you to share with your baby or toddler. First in a series. more »

Top 10 Best Books For Toddlers To 4-Year-Olds, by Jennifer Polk, MA, Ed. :: This second in a series, prepared by a elementary education teacher, presents some books that are age appropriate for your toddler to 4-year-old child. more »

Top 10 Best Books For 5- And 6-Year-Olds, by Jennifer Polk, MA, Ed. :: This third list in a series, prepared by a elementary education teacher, highlights books that are good learning tools for your 5- and 6-year-old child. more »

Top 10 Best Books For 7- And 8-Year-Olds, by Jennifer Polk, MA, Ed. :: At 7 and 8 years old, your child is gaining in awareness of the world around them. This list, prepared by a elementary education teacher, features books that are a good launching point for the development of a comprehensive reading list for your 7- and 8-year-old child. Fourth in a series. more »

Top 10 Best Books For 9- And 10-Year-Olds, by Jennifer Polk, MA, Ed. :: At 9 and 10 years old, it can be a struggle to get your child to read. We know you have to compete with Nintendo and TV. This list, prepared by a elementary education teacher, features books that your 9- or 10-year-old should find interesting. Fifth in a series. more »

Top 10 Best Books For 11-Year-Olds And Up, by Jennifer Polk, MA, Ed. :: Since the first 40 years of parenthood are always the hardest, getting your 11-year-old and up to read should be a piece of cake, but you know it’s not always that easy, right? The trick is providing some captivating examples that will really get their imagination working. Check out this list of books for some helpful direction. Last in a series. more »

Reading Strategies for Babies/Toddlers, by Jennifer Polk, MA, Ed. :: Reading is a discipline for both parent and child. Learn some easy tips on how to make it fun for both you and your toddler. more »

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