Children of same-sex couples are happier and healthier than peers, research show

[Wilikon]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/07/children-of-same-sex-couples-are-happier-and-healthier-than-peers-research-shows/

-------------------------------------------
The science is settled... 

[zolace]

Interesting. Would like to see more studies. In the US at least, half of all pregnancies are not planned. I would imagine that most children in same sex parent families required planning. Children planned for are children wanted. I wonder if this might account for some of the difference

[plateex]

Interesting. Would like to see more studies. In the US at least, half of all pregnancies are not planned. I would imagine that most children in same sex parent families required planning. Children planned for are children wanted. I wonder if this might account for some of the difference

I agree. I would assume same-sex couples (and in fact all couples who adopt or otherwise try hard to become parents) are likely to have put a higher amount of planning and organisation into their child's upbringing than people who can have children 'by accident'. Couples who adopt are also more likely to be relatively wealthy / middle class, both of which have been shown to improve a child's wellbeing.

Then again, the study may account for these factors. I can't be fucked to read it though .

I would say the same. To me, it seems that it's the degree of determination to have a child that really matters, not sexual preferencies/gender identities of the parents. If there was common for same-sex couples to have unplanned children, I'm not sure if the results would be the same.

[sana8410]

Maybe their increased happiness has a little to do with their parents being more accepting and open-minded about their kid's life choices. When parents spend their days controlling and everything little Timmy can see, hear, and think there is a higher chance that there were will disagreement, argument, resentment, fear, and a loss of communication.

[Wilikon]

Maybe their increased happiness has a little to do with their parents being more accepting and open-minded about their kid's life choices. When parents spend their days controlling and everything little Timmy can see, hear, and think there is a higher chance that there were will disagreement, argument, resentment, fear, and a loss of communication.

So the definition of "good parenting" is to let little timmy having his way?

[Rigon]

The information in the survey was parent-reported, which means they relied on what parents said about their kids. So they did not do an independent measuring.

[sana8410]

Maybe their increased happiness has a little to do with their parents being more accepting and open-minded about their kid's life choices. When parents spend their days controlling and everything little Timmy can see, hear, and think there is a higher chance that there were will disagreement, argument, resentment, fear, and a loss of communication.

So the definition of "good parenting" is to let little timmy having his way?

No,there is not definition and no "perfect or good parenting",it has to be a balance betwen controling the kids and giveing them too much freedom .As a parent you have to know when to say No to your kid even if he is not happy with it, but also to much No is not good and the same goes with Yes, and comunication is the key ,if you have the pacience and time to explain to your kid why is No and why is Yes,he will understand better your intention.

[umair127]

Irrelevant study.I’d like to see a study broken down by genders, i.e. boys raised by two women vs. girls raised by two women vs. boys
raised by two men vs girls raised by two men.And I’m itching for the study on these kids when they become adults.

[Ron~Popeil]

Statistics can be made to say whatever you want. The nature of the results makes it clear there is an agenda. Sexual orientation has nothing to do with an individual's parenting ability.

[jbrnt]

The sampling is a bit low and out of the same sex parents, 80% has female parents. I believe all-female parents are more likely to provide a healthy and cohesive environent for children than all-male parents, but it is said that two-thirds of the kids experienced some form of stigma because of their parent's sexual orientatiin. How this will affect the children's social skills and emotion when they grow up is still unresearched.

[beetcoin]

i'm all for same-sex couples.. they're probably better than heterosexual parents for various reasons; they expose their children to diversity and tolerance; they might even appreciate the family nucleus too.

[counter]

Maybe their increased happiness has a little to do with their parents being more accepting and open-minded about their kid's life choices. When parents spend their days controlling and everything little Timmy can see, hear, and think there is a higher chance that there were will disagreement, argument, resentment, fear, and a loss of communication.

So the definition of "good parenting" is to let little timmy having his way?

I don't think it is about the child getting their way so to speak.  I feel it is more of the child being given a chance to look at thing from a more open minded perspective that has a positive effect on their mental growth.  That being said I don't think this study has taken all of the variables into consideration before making such a bold claim.

[Wilikon]

Too bad kids can't chose their own parents or participate in a survey about themselves... 



 

[Honourablequest]

Not the same but happier - really? based on research?  Big generalization!

Lets look at the facts ...

The sample was based on a "convenience sample", which is basically a self-selected group of parents - thus non-representative to the larger population.

The subjects of the study know the object of the study and can therefore influence the conclusions of it - further, they recruit others into the study. Essentially, the population being studied is children of upper-middle class white lesbians 80%. This study isn't comparing like situations. The results have no validity with respect to the question asked and the general population or even to the population purportedly studied. The study is deeply flawed and propagandist at best.

I just want media to be honest instead of committing to phony journalism and sensationalism.

Here are some interesting counter studies:

Children of lesbian mothers:  
  
Are almost 4 times more likely to be currently on public assistance  
Are more than 3 times more likely to be unemployed  
Are nearly 4 times more likely to identify as something other than entirely heterosexual  
Are 3 times as likely to have had an affair while married or cohabiting  
Are an astonishing 10 times more likely to have been "touched sexually by a parent or other adult caregiver."  
Use marijuana more frequently  
Smoke more frequently  
Watch TV for long periods more frequently  
Have more often pled guilty to a non-minor offense  
etc.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049089X12000610
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049089X12000580

[Honeypot]

LOL

[Squidoogeek]

Maybe their increased happiness has a little to do with their parents being more accepting and open-minded about their kid's life choices. When parents spend their days controlling and everything little Timmy can see, hear, and think there is a higher chance that there were will disagreement, argument, resentment, fear, and a loss of communication.

So the definition of "good parenting" is to let little timmy having his way?

Not really. Maybe it's more about letting "little Timmy" sometimes run a little too fast down the sidewalk and find out for himself that doing so can cause him to fall down. One thing I like to see is for parents to give their kids a modest weekly allowance on the condition that THEY'RE the ones who decide how to spend it and, once it's gone, that's it until next week. The smart ones will figure out fast that buying that awesome new Legos set might mean foregoing candy for a while while they save up their allowance.

[iopq]

I had heard this before and it makes sense.
The couples who are able to adopt are probably financially secure, probably well educated, and have a stable life. Additionally they really want the kids as there aren't any accidents.
As someone else pointed out it would be interesting to see it compared to adopted children of traditional couples as I imagine they have to meet the same criteria.

[noviapriani]

Most of these agendized studies are based primarily on self-reported information. Not surprisingly, they show that kids are better off without either a mother or a father. Naturally, the media can’t wait to celebrate.

[kerafym]

Happiness is hard to quantified.

A person living in a cave/north Korea can also be happy if he doesn't know what life is outside his cage.

[Wilikon]

Happiness is hard to quantified.

A person living in a cave/north Korea can also be happy if he doesn't know what life is outside his cage.

Anyway it is still so strange how people will accept any "studies", no matter how open of a propaganda it is on anything they already agree with. NOT a surprise, it is just human nature