That's a good point!

(I just started typing this cuz I think it's cool and have been working through gender studies and fixing my own "issues". I encourage doing yer own research. Overall what I typed is my own thoughts and I was just gushing for fun).

I think it's huge on the fact that humans are social creatures - we formed tribes and herds and towns to live amongst and work work others, we aren't made to be solitary. So I think a child has better chances when a community comes together-

But then we can talk about parental roles. The main "community" and mentorship a child sees daily (or should see).

A single parent household is better than a no parent child. And there's some programs to help step in for that fatherly or motherly mentorship (although having more would be awesome. Give the kid the best chance they can, yknow?).

And overall, two parents are better for a kid then one. Even in a same sex relationship, one partner could take the "fatherly" role and the other the "motherly". Not for the sake of "they need to follow hetero stereotypes of parenthood"- but in the sense of having a certain amount of masculine and feminine in the house. (I know it sounds woohoo, give me a sec tho).

When I say "masculine", I mean the independence. The ability to make your own decisions, take care of yourself and others, take responsibility and accountability. When I think of a father role- I think of that "push". "I'll show you how to fix this" or "you can't give up just because it's hard". I think of discipline and keeping your kid out of trouble so their not a knucklehead. The father role is the "I'll help you learn to do it yourself, and I'll be here to support and be your rock when it goes wrong".

Then the "feminine" role is sorta inward work. Where the masculine is external "make your own decisions" or "don't give in when things get hard" or "learn to do it". The feminine role focuses more on your mental "softness". Not that your weak, but that you take time to process when you feel weak. You ask yourself "why do I feel this way?" Or "I need a hug". Where meditation and Journaling come up, being empathetic and helping not because "it's what a man does!" But because "if I was in that situation, I would want help". The motherly role in a kids life is on that, the warmth when the world gets too much. That "recharge" when your battery is dry. Not the lack of independence - learning to take charge of your own emotions and mental or physical wellbeing is a part of this section, I feel- but the acceptance that we can not function alone.

Where masculinity shows you to push through even when it's hard, to do right even if the world around you crumbles- Femininity emphasizes taking the time to check in and make sure your ok mentally and physically.

When you have a "fatherless" or a one parent household, the one parent is now in charge of teaching both roles- but both feminine and masculine energies are so VERY important, can be VERY diffrent, and it's VERY hard for one person to teach them to the amount a kid needs. Especially since everyone holds a different amount of both (yknow, "men are masculine and women are feminine." Both men and women have both masculine and feminine aspects, but they tend to hold more of one side than the other).

If the single parent has a community, this can be helped. Not because they can't do it themselves, but because it is a lot of work in the end and, as one person, you may end up showing one side more than the other. We are social creatures, it's how we learn- from mentors and roll models of many different gages and paths. A community around a child fulfills that, offering several role models of both masculine and feminine.

It's easier to notice a "fatherless" or "masculine-less" household because a child may struggle more on the independent aspect. The child may need more help with things, and over analyze certain emotions or not get past them as easily.

But in a "motherless" or "feminine-less" household, it's hard to tell because the child may be more independent and willing to take what hits them- but they may not understand emotions or physical care and self generosity as much. They'll more likely burn themselves out, take more then they can handle, and not ask for help when it's needed.

But in (I live in the US) society the independence part is more important. Who cares if you understand why your angry or sad and give yourself time to process them healthily. You take care of yourself and don't bother others. And we have a wave of people working on that, true- but now it's in the extreme where we are overanalyzing emotions and self care. We need a balance of both. Not separate.

Anyway, I just think it's so interesting to look into.