Queer Parenting

I guess I’m at the age where my biological clock starts ticking. So far I’ve gotten away with pretending not to hear it. Shows like Nanny 911 and being around squalling babies on public transport turn me off from the idea just enough to breathe a sigh of relief. But then it kind of comes back.

Truthfully, I already have been a parent. My sister is severely developmentally delayed (I don’t know why they use the delayed word, my sister’s never going to catch up okay?) and my mum was a single parent. So there were lots of times I had to look after my sister. Maybe that’s why I don’t want to raise a tiny kid, I know how much work is really involved.

But I still do like the idea of parenting.

And then there’s this firm belief I have that more queer teenagers need a safe home if they get kicked out or have to run away or whatever. I don’t want to start a whole shelter, but I’m thinking it would be nice to parent a queer teenager, or two, or three. I mean, god, I lived through that, I’m sure I’d make a great parent for someone in that situation. I’d even home school them if they were having a hard time at school with bullies or whatever.

So now I’m looking around at how to become a long term foster parent. It’s kind of an interesting process. They’re especially looking for people willing to parent teenagers, and Aboriginal families. I’d rather devote my parenting skills to someone who could otherwise fall through the cracks.

Anyway, it’s piqued my curiousity.

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