LJS article

Respect single parents

In response to the overwhelming media assumption that children of single “mothers” produce inferior children, and single “fathers” are somehow heroes, and gay parents can’t do a good job, I would just like to say “eat it.”

If your spouse leaves the relationship, and there is no-fault divorce — anyone can become a non-consenting single parent. The hardest part is putting up with people like Julie Benesch, whose recent letter titled “Think of the children” presumes a great deal.

I am sick of it. I have been a single parent of four children for 11 years.

As a single parent, where did the ton of kids from the two-parent families, friends of my children, hang out through junior high and high school? My house. Evidently there are many two-parent families who have it so totally together that they can’t handle the noise, invasion, the mess and the extra cooking required when teens commune. This single parent got to know all of their kids, receive confidences and knew where her own children were at all times.

All four of my children have different personalities. However, all are caring and compassionate. They are all in gifted classes, and the only one who has reached adulthood at this writing is not quite 19 years old, and in his second year of college studying physics and math with a B+ average.

All of my kids have an incredible sense of humor and irony. They are competitive, quick-witted and interesting company. They are readers. They are outgoing and self-assured. They have talent and do not need to rely on hate groups for their self-esteem. They are not perfect, but they are the raw material that is what will make this country greater.

They have watched me work full-time, make dinner before running off to teach one or two nights a week, and come home to do laundry. My kids have always known they could call me at work for any reason whatsoever, and that I would not work for someone who had a problem with that.

I will close with this challenge: The next time you need to feel superior to a single parent, have your spouse take a month’s vacation and do everything yourself. Hmmm … not so superior after all?

Patricia R. Wenzl, Lincoln

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