>>>>>My impression is that a lot of the difference in outcomes has to do with money. That is, that it's not dad per se who's the issue, but that single parent families tend to be poorer. In fact, pretty sure I just saw research that said that kids with same sex parents do just as well as kids with opposite sex parents, once you match for income.
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>>>I'm thinking of the 40-year series showing that dads actually interact differently with kids than mums. I don't believe there's enough single-sex parenting history to say much at all. Probably a truism that families where more than one adult can focus on bringing home money, are likely to have more of it and there's separate evidence that mum and dad working also has a good effect on rates of tertiary education- probably because mum is better-educated.
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>>I have a male friend from high school who got married to another man, and they adopted a little boy who just turned 5. They are loving and responsible parents and both men have supportive families.
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>>I don't claim to say a man/woman will necessarily be any better or worse at parenting than a same/sex couple. I love my daughter more than anyone in the world and I want her to grow up the right way, but I don't think that has anything to do with whether I'm straight or not. BUT....I do think a two parent solution is best - whether it's male/female or male/male or female/female. So many times I've needed a backup or my wife needed a backup.
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>>The actor Adam Sandler has a ridiculously silly movie called "Big Daddy" that's about 95% juvenile humor (that even I find kind of dopey) but some very poignant moments about the nature of what makes up a "parent at heart".
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>>There are many women (and some men) who wind up being single parents (due to death, divorce, etc.) I feel great sympathy for those "super-moms" and "super-dads", because it is damn hard to raise a kid alone. I know some women with children who moved back in with a parent - not necessarily just because of money but just to have a support system.
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>>The one thing I question is someone who seeks out to be a single parent without a good support system. I realize there can be exceptions, but I do wonder if the person seeking out to become a single parent has the best interests of the child in mind.
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>We don't hear much about the role of grandparents anymore, but it's huge.
>Where grandparents are on the scene there's a lot less stress, especially when both parents (if there are two) are working.

There is a role for grandparents but it is often overrated. Two good parents can do a great job raising kids without grandparents. Our daughters are not yet married so we don't have grandchildren. But my wife and I often "rent" my wife's nephews for a weekend (to give a break to her brother and his wife since they have no parents). These two very young kids (7 and 11) who are being raised by a couple without parents/grandparents, are absolutely perfect in every sense.