Same-sex parents spend more time with their children

when he asked how old she was and she said she was there celebrating her 15th birthday, he went red faced

He went on: “How do you dig yourself out of that one? Stay away from boys like me!” LONDON: Children of same-sex parents receive more focused time from their parents than those raised by heterosexual couples, a new study has found.

The difference is most pronounced in families with two mothers, where parents spend on average 40% more time on child-focused activities than straight couples, according to the study of American families by researchers at the University of Texas in US.

The extra time comes because both mothers offer as much childfocused activity as mothers in heterosexual partnerships.

Fathers with female partners spent only about half as much time with their children, researchers said.

Women spend around 100 minutes a day engaged in childfocused activities, compared with an average of 50 minutes per day among men who were married to, or cohabiting with, women, the ‘Independent’ reported.

However, fathers in same-sex relationships spend roughly the same time as the mothers, doubling the time typically provided by heterosexual fathers.

“Our findings support the argument that parental investment in children is at least as great – and possibly greater – in same-sex couples as for different-sex couples,” said Kate Prickett, from the University of Texas.

The research analysed time spent with children while engaged in activities that supported physical and cognitive development.

Tasks such as reading, playing, helping with homework, bath time, and doctor’s appointments were included, but passive activities such as watching television, or doing housework while a child was around, did not count. PTI