| Note to the New Edition |
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| Introduction: Navigating the Journey of Lesbian Parenting |
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1 | (6) |
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Section One: Our Lives as Lesbian Families |
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7 | (160) |
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We're Here to Stay: Our Unique Families |
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9 | (10) |
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What's It Like Being a Lesbian Family? |
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The Strengths of Our Families |
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Starting Out: Alternative Insemination, Foster-Parenting and Adoption |
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19 | (22) |
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Children---To Have or Not to Have? |
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Pregnancy via Alternative Insemination |
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An Insemination ``Prep Talk'' |
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A Word About HIV and AIDS |
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The Great Lesbian Sperm Chase |
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Romancing the Syringe: At-Home Insemination |
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Getting Pregnant the Old-Fashioned Way |
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Crossing Ability, Cultural and Racial Lines |
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How Do I Know If I Like Having Children in My Life? |
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Branches on Our Family Tree: Partners, Fathers, Siblings and Others |
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41 | (20) |
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Beyond Our ``Job Descriptions'' |
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Fathers and Other Men in Our Lives |
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Donors: Anonymous or Known? |
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Fathers via Chosen Family |
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Extended Family: From ``Goddess-Parents'' to Grandparents |
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The Significance of Siblings |
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Coming Out to Our Children and Families |
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61 | (25) |
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Defining Our Terms: Coming Out, Heterosexism and Homophobia |
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The Advantages of Coming Out to Our Children |
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The Risks of Coming Out to Our Children |
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How to Come Out to Children |
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``But What's a Lesbian?'': Coming Out to Young Children |
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``What If She Hates Me?'': Considerations with Adolescents |
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Coming Out to Adult Children |
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Navigating in the World: Our Children's Issues |
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Full Circle: Coming Out to Our Family of Origin |
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When Lesbian Becomes Parent |
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When Parent Becomes Lesbian |
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Engaged Parenting: Communication and Conflict Resolution |
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86 | (26) |
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Listening So Children Will Talk |
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Talking So Children Will Listen |
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Resolving Conflicts Constructively |
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Resolving Conflicts with Young Children |
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Resolving Conflicts with Adolescents |
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The Tradition of Family Meetings |
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Helping Our Children Through Loss and Divorce |
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112 | (20) |
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Supporting Your Child Through the Grieving Process |
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Helping Your Child Face Death |
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Navigating Divorce: The Challenges for Parents |
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What Divorce Does to Kids: Short Term |
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What Divorce Does to Kids: Long Term |
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Telling Your Child About Divorce |
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Confronting Racism and Building Rainbows |
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132 | (21) |
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How Racism Affects Individuals |
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How Racism Affects Families |
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Thinking About Adoption and Race |
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Living in an Interracial Adoptive Family |
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``You Picked Me Out!'': How Children Perceive Race and Adoption |
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Interracial Couples with Children |
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Raising Bias-Free Children |
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Building Self-Esteem and Positive Racial Identity |
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Confronting Racist Comments |
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When Your Child Practices Racism |
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When Your Child Experiences Racism |
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Celebrating Our Lives: New Family Traditions |
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153 | (14) |
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Reclaiming Rituals and Building Traditions |
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LGBT Pride Holidays and Celebrations |
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Spur-of-the-Moment Gatherings |
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Birthdays and Rites of Passage |
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Creating Your Family Traditions |
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Section Two: Parenting Our Children as They Grow |
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167 | (180) |
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At the Very Beginning: Pregnancy and Childbirth |
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169 | (17) |
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A Word for Adoptive Parents-to-Be |
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Days in the Lives of Pregnant Lesbians |
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Getting Quality Prenatal Care |
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Birthing Issues for the Pregnant Mother |
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Labor Preparation: From Birthing Classes to Popsicles |
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Giving Birth at a Hospital |
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Miscarriage and Stillbirth |
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Your New Baby: The First Eighteen Months |
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186 | (17) |
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Newborn to Six Months: Pee, Poop, Tears ... and Smiles |
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Six to Eighteen Months: Learning Through Movement |
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Family and Friends: Help or Hindrance? |
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Parenting the Toddler: Eighteen Months to Thirty-Six Months |
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203 | (17) |
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The Gentle Art of Discipline |
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She Said ... She Said: Being Consistent as a Couple |
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Support Groups and Play Groups |
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The Emerging Child: Three to Six Years |
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220 | (19) |
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Emotional/Social Development |
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Structured Environments: Preschool and Kindergarten |
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International and Interracial Adoptions |
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Time Out for Relationships |
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Educating Your Extended Family |
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Logic and Rules; Fairness and Morals: Six to Ten Years |
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239 | (20) |
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Rules and Moral Reasoning |
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Values---Yours, Mine and Ours |
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Vacations Without the Kids |
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Moving and Making Friends |
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The Journey of Adolescence: Not Necessarily a Nightmare |
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259 | (18) |
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Four Myths About Adolescence |
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Adolescent Development: An Overview |
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Skills: Now You See Them, Now You Don't |
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Raising Boys ... and Raising Girls |
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The Damaging Messages Our Daughters Hear |
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Putting Your Own Adolescence in Perspective |
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Shifting the Parenting Gears |
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Engaged Parenting ... Adolescent-Style |
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On the Road to Adulthood: Ten to Fourteen Years |
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277 | (26) |
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Intellectual and Moral Development |
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Separation and Independence |
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School and Social Life: Get Involved or Steer Clear? |
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Independence and Identity: Fourteen to Eighteen Years |
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303 | (27) |
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Intellectual and Moral Development |
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The Golden Age of Friendship |
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Is Your Teen's Having a Job Good or Bad? |
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Sex, Drugs and Rock `n' Roll |
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Drug and Alcohol Problems |
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Stepping into New Roles: Our Adult Children |
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330 | (17) |
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Family Occasions: Fun or Fearful? |
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Meeting Your Child's Partner |
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The Challenge of Weddings |
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347 | (5) |
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352 | (9) |
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A: Second-Parent Adoption |
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352 | (2) |
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B: Alternative Insemination and Infertility Workups |
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354 | (4) |
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C: Sample Parenting Agreement |
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358 | (2) |
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360 | (1) |
| Notes |
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361 | (8) |
| General Bibliography |
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369 | (17) |
| Selected Bibliography |
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386 | (8) |
| Index |
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394 | (8) |
| Acknowledgments |
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402 | (3) |
| About the Authors |
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405 | |
Other versions by this Author