Originally Posted by Gilda

So is it wrong to have a mohterless home?

Absolutely not. Once the child is beyond the age of nursing, there isn't anything a mother can do that a father cannot. With three children it would be very difficult, but it could be done, especially if you had some kind of support system to help you out. Note that I'm not saying this because you're a father; I'd make the same comment about a mother raising kids alone.

*snip* I'm always a little amazed that my students don't question the implication that the father is incapable of caring for his own daughter because he's a man and she's a teenaged girl who needs a woman's care. It's well written as a coming of age story, but deeply flawed due to the unquestioned assumption that men are incompetent parents in the absense of a wife. This book was written in the 50's. I'm constantly surprised at the number of people who still share it's basic attitude.

Having a good, caring, devoted parent is what is important, not the sex of that parent.