Is It OK for a Child to Have More Than Two Parents?
Fef
2012/07/03 21:00:00
|
|
|||||
|
538 votes
|
|
49% | |||
|
568 votes
|
|
51% | |||
California Democrats want to increase the number of parents a child can have. SB 1476 would allow a child to have more than two parents at the same time in order to accommodate same-sex parents, surrogates, assisted reproduction, and other non-traditional parental relationships.
SacBee.com reports:
"The bill brings California into the 21st century, recognizing that there are more than Ozzie and Harriet families today," Leno said. But some disagree. "It comes as no surprise that he would try to say that a child has more than two parents – that's absurd," said Benjamin Lopez, a legislative analyst for Traditional Values Coalition, a Bible-based civil rights group.
SacBee points out potential problems and complexities caused by SB 1476:
Examples of three-parent relationships that could be affected by SB 1476 include: 1) A family in which a man began dating a woman while she was pregnant, then raised that child with her for seven years. The youth also had a parental relationship with the biological father. 2) A same-sex couple who asked a close male friend to help them conceive, then decided that all three would raise the child. 3) A divorce in which a woman and her second husband were the legal parents of a child, but the biological father maintained close ties as well. How do you feel about the proposed bill?
SacBee.com reports:
Mom and Dad, same-sex couples or blended families, California law is clear: No more than two legal parents per child. State Sen. Mark Leno is pushing legislation to allow a child to have multiple parents.
"The bill brings California into the 21st century, recognizing that there are more than Ozzie and Harriet families today," Leno said. But some disagree. "It comes as no surprise that he would try to say that a child has more than two parents – that's absurd," said Benjamin Lopez, a legislative analyst for Traditional Values Coalition, a Bible-based civil rights group.
SacBee points out potential problems and complexities caused by SB 1476:
Tax deductions, citizenship, probate, public assistance, school notifications and Social Security rights all can be affected by determinations of parenthood, notes the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists.
Examples of three-parent relationships that could be affected by SB 1476 include: 1) A family in which a man began dating a woman while she was pregnant, then raised that child with her for seven years. The youth also had a parental relationship with the biological father. 2) A same-sex couple who asked a close male friend to help them conceive, then decided that all three would raise the child. 3) A divorce in which a woman and her second husband were the legal parents of a child, but the biological father maintained close ties as well. How do you feel about the proposed bill?
Read More: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/02/4604048/californi...
Top Opinion
-
Stryder 2012/07/03 15:41:45
![[VIDEO] Flying Drone With Handgun: Protected by Second Amendment?](http://images.sodahead.com/polls/003754845/Drone-Gun-Video-111595454537_large.png "[VIDEO] Flying Drone With Handgun: Protected by Second Amendment?")
*Gommorah
"Everybody knows exactly what I mean."
Guess who flunked English?
not many parents one set of parents taht brought them into the world you can have step parenst but only one set of parents.
par·ent/ˈpe(ə)rənt/
Noun
A father or mother.
Verb
Be or act as a mother or father to (someone).
Father - origin - mother
Wikipedia- Dictionary.com- Answers.com- Merriam-Webster
One who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child; a father or mother. 2. An ancestor; a progenitor. 3. An organism that produces or generates ...
par·ent
[pair-uhnt, par-] Show IPA
noun
1.
a father or a mother.
2.
an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor.
3.
a source, origin, or cause.
4.
a protector or guardian.
5.
Biology . any organism that produces or generates another
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
1.
parent(n.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a father or a mother.
2.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a source, origin, or cause.
3.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
any organism that produces another.
4.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a precursor; progenitor.
5.
parent(adj.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
being the original source.
6.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
pertaining to an organism, cell, or structure that produces another.
7.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
of or designating a corporation or other enterprise that owns controlling inter...
<<
not many parents one set of parents taht brought them into the world you can have step parenst but only one set of parents.
par·ent/ˈpe(ə)rənt/
Noun
A father or mother.
Verb
Be or act as a mother or father to (someone).
Father - origin - mother
Wikipedia- Dictionary.com- Answers.com- Merriam-Webster
One who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child; a father or mother. 2. An ancestor; a progenitor. 3. An organism that produces or generates ...
par·ent
[pair-uhnt, par-] Show IPA
noun
1.
a father or a mother.
2.
an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor.
3.
a source, origin, or cause.
4.
a protector or guardian.
5.
Biology . any organism that produces or generates another
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
1.
parent(n.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a father or a mother.
2.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a source, origin, or cause.
3.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
any organism that produces another.
4.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a precursor; progenitor.
5.
parent(adj.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
being the original source.
6.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
pertaining to an organism, cell, or structure that produces another.
7.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
of or designating a corporation or other enterprise that owns controlling interests in one or more subsidiaries.
8.
parent(v.t.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
to be or act as parent of.
Etymology: (1375–1425; late ME (< MF) < L parent-, s. of parēns, n. use of prp. of parere to bring
Hell, MY family could be eligible for this, if we lived in California. My mom, dad, and step-dad are all involved and invested in my upbringing. I consider all of them to be my parents. It'd be really helpful, if something were to happen to me or one or more of my parents.
not many parents one set of parents taht brought them into the world you can have step parenst but only one set of parents.
par·ent/ˈpe(ə)rənt/
Noun
A father or mother.
Verb
Be or act as a mother or father to (someone).
Father - origin - mother
Wikipedia- Dictionary.com- Answers.com- Merriam-Webster
One who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child; a father or mother. 2. An ancestor; a progenitor. 3. An organism that produces or generates ...
par·ent
[pair-uhnt, par-] Show IPA
noun
1.
a father or a mother.
2.
an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor.
3.
a source, origin, or cause.
4.
a protector or guardian.
5.
Biology . any organism that produces or generates another
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
1.
parent(n.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a father or a mother.
2.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a source, origin, or cause.
3.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
any organism that produces another.
4.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a precursor; progenitor.
5.
parent(adj.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
being the original source.
6.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
pertaining to an organism, cell, or structure that produces another.
7.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
of or designating a corporation or other enterprise that owns controlling inter...
<<
not many parents one set of parents taht brought them into the world you can have step parenst but only one set of parents.
par·ent/ˈpe(ə)rənt/
Noun
A father or mother.
Verb
Be or act as a mother or father to (someone).
Father - origin - mother
Wikipedia- Dictionary.com- Answers.com- Merriam-Webster
One who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child; a father or mother. 2. An ancestor; a progenitor. 3. An organism that produces or generates ...
par·ent
[pair-uhnt, par-] Show IPA
noun
1.
a father or a mother.
2.
an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor.
3.
a source, origin, or cause.
4.
a protector or guardian.
5.
Biology . any organism that produces or generates another
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
1.
parent(n.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a father or a mother.
2.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a source, origin, or cause.
3.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
any organism that produces another.
4.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
a precursor; progenitor.
5.
parent(adj.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
being the original source.
6.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
pertaining to an organism, cell, or structure that produces another.
7.
parentˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
of or designating a corporation or other enterprise that owns controlling interests in one or more subsidiaries.
8.
parent(v.t.)ˈpɛər ənt, ˈpær-
to be or act as parent of.
Etymology: (1375–1425; late ME (< MF) < L parent-, s. of parēns, n. use of prp. of parere to bring
for these only gave life, those the art of living well."
-Aristotle
While growing up, I had my mom, and though my mom never dated anyone, I had many "surrogate fathers." These were men that helped to make me who I am today. Men who, though not being related to me in any way, I was close with and looked up to. I wasn't screwed up because of this. I had a perfectly fine childhood and became a decent human being.
People symbolically adopt others into their families all the time. I don't know anyone who hasn't done this. They have the family they were born into, and the family that they chose. Those closest of friends that they are inexplicably tied to, blood or no blood, and treat like family.
I certainly believe that I fared far better being raised by my mom than if I was raised by both my mother and father, since he was nowhere near a decent human being. I think it has much less to do with the household structure itself, and more to do with the kind of people you are dealing with.
http://www.sodahead.com/unite...
In principle, I think I agree with the bill's premise. There are a lot of situations in which parental relationships are not clear-cut, and adoption plays a central role in many of those. This is particularly common in the case of a "mostly" absentee biological parent. I tend to think a step-father or step-mother should only be considered a full-blown adoptive parent if their biological analogue is totally out of the picture (which leaves the number at two), but who am I to say what's right for another family? Then there are situations that are even weirder, such as surrogate and biological mothers contracting with each other for equal parental relationships, and the case of open adoptions, etc. In short, my approval of this would really depend on the specifics, and who gets to make the call (all current parents should get a veto over adding another legal parent), and I'd think long and hard about it. :p
I'd like to disagree. I know my situation isn't the same as everyone else's, but both of my biological parents are still alive, and I have a step-dad. I refer to all of them as my parents. In a country where divorce is rising, and where kids may have two biological parents and a good relationship with them might also end up with a step-parent that they'll also have a good relationship with... the would be really, really good for them.
I wouldn't agree with adding people wily-nily, but let's face it-- the above scenario isn't uncommon. Billy's parent's divorce, his father remarries. He lives between his mother and father, and has a good relationship with his step-mom, to the point where she is a trusted adult and is invested and involved in his upbringing as though he were her son. This isn't all that uncommon.
As I said before though, "Who am I to say what's right for another family?"
Exactly, which is why it should be done with proper consideration. But I don't understand why the majority of voters on here are making such a big stink about it, especially since legal guardianship is really important-- for example, if my a step-parent needed to pick their step-kid up from school during the day in a pinch, and we hadn't remembered to put his name down (or some such) this would grant him the right to pick the kid up from school as his/her legal guardian. ^-^
It's not for everyone, but for some...
The specifics really are important though. To flip the situation above (granting parental rights to my hypothetical children's stepmother): That's one thing, but I would totally freak out if my hypothetical crazy ex-wife granted full parental rights to my hypothetical children's shady stepfather without my personal consent.
I think that it should be the case that both parents must agree to include a third, or the parent who wants to add the step-parent can ask for a judge to sign off on the inclusion (which would mean the refusing parent has to explain why they don't want the inclusion, and the parent who wants to include the step-parent must be able to show that he would make a good and responsible legal guardian. In short, they both get put up for scrutiny.) And, if the kid in question is old enough to understand what this would mean, they should have a say in it.
So yes, it will mean more legalities, but I think in the long run, this will be helpful. There has to be failsafes for both parents-- because the point of this is to look out in the kid's best interest.
On the balance, I'd say we're in agreement that the wisdom of this idea depends on the failsafes, and assuming those, it would be an improvement over the current situation...aside from the wailing and gnashing of teeth from the culture warriors. ;)