The Truth About LGBTQ Families
People have a lot of prejudice against LGBTQ families. Unfortunately, we still live in a somewhat conservative society, though we’re constantly trying to change that. Even still, many people believe that LGBTQ couples shouldn’t have children of their own, whether via adoption or surrogate. But why is that? Usually, it’s because people believe that children should have a mother and a father. They believe that’s the only natural thing, and everything else could affect a child’s growth. But is it really like that? That’s what we’re here to find out.
LGBTQ families usually adopt or have children with the help of a surrogate mother or sperm donor. The way they choose to have children doesn’t matter much because they love the child either way. These families are perfectly capable of raising kids and have been doing it for years now.
Most people think that there’s still a mother and a father in these kinds of families. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Gay families usually have two mothers or two fathers, and they operate like a well-oiled machine regardless. Kids only learn of straight families through their own experiences. Even then, they have no reason to think their family is strange, so that won’t affect them.
Mental and Emotional Growth
As we now know, people usually think that children with LGBTQ parents suffer when it comes to their growth. We’re talking about all kinds of growth, including mental and emotional. But what is the truth? Children’s mental and emotional growth depends on their parents. What’s more, this growth can depend on their parents’ raising techniques.
So, what kind of conclusions can we draw from this? The mental and emotional growth of children in same-sex families is in no way stunted. If anything, it can only be even better than the growth of children in straight families.
Why is this the case? All people carry on their parents’ parenting techniques in some way. However, gay people most often recognize if their parents have been abusive while raising them. This is especially the case if they came out and their parents didn’t support them. With that in mind, gay people don’t want to pass on the same kind of trauma on their kids.
LGBTQ families will do anything to keep their children safe and promote their growth. We’re not saying straight families can’t or don’t do this, but it’s more common in same-sex families.
Social Skills and Behavior
What about social skills and overall behavior? This will also depend on a child’s upbringing, but also the environment they’re raised in and exposed to. It’s no secret that children pick up a lot of social behaviors from their parents. With this in mind, it’s easy to assume that how children socialize further in life depends on their parents.
LGBTQ parents are most often open-minded people. This means they’re more likely to bestow the same values upon their children. These parents know what it’s like to be bullied and an outcast, so they’ll do everything in their power to raise their children as kind people. This results in children from same-sex families being kind and well-behaved.
Studies show that kids with LGBTQ families often have better social skills and more self-esteem. This means they’re more likely to approach other kids and make friends. When it comes to behavior, these children learn how to act properly. However, that doesn’t mean they should let anyone walk over them. Same-sex parents make it their mission to teach their kids to be kind but always stand up for themselves and others.
School and Academic Performance
Academic performance doesn’t always depend on how parents raise their kids, but it can be affected by it. Primarily, academic performance depends on the child’s brainpower and the opportunities they have in school and at home. Parents should create a safe and creative environment at home that will encourage kids to learn. With this environment, children will grow up to love school, and their academic performance will level up accordingly.
There are exceptions to every rule, so kids with LGBTQ parents can also underperform in school. Some studies show that kids from same-sex families usually don’t graduate from university. However, other studies say that these children excel academically. So, it’s safe to conclude that it’ll always depend on an individual and their family.
Heterosexual parents can also be great at raising their kids and helping them learn. But they can often forget to ask their child how their day at school went. Unfortunately, some may even be too focused on forcing their child to perform well without being concerned about their wishes or wellbeing. Same-sex families know the feeling of this all too well because they usually have a higher education than straight families. So, they tend to put more attention onto how their child feels about school, and not only how it performs.
Teenage and Adult Years
Being a member of the LGBTQ community isn’t easy, and these parents know that best of all. That’s exactly why they put a lot of effort into being close to their kids and raising them right. Young children are easily impressionable, so their treatment is what usually determines what they’ll be like as adults.
Same-sex families value and encourage their children to talk about feelings, resulting in them having a better connection. What do kids get from this connection? Well, they’re more likely to have more self-esteem and less likely to be depressed and act out. This connection to their parents can prevent kids from using drugs or drinking.
Of course, some children just go through a rebellious phase. However, same-sex parents know how to deal with them because they’ve been through the same thing. So, what is the conclusion when it comes to the effects same-sex parents have on their kids?
The fact remains that these parents can only positively influence their children, which only promotes their mental and physical growth. It’s useful to remember that there are always exceptions, so children’s growth will always depend on the kind of parents they have. More often than not, that has little to do with the parents’ genders.
