So as you know I’m taking some online classes this summer. One of which is biology with a very “busy work” kind of teacher. One of the things she insists we do is participate in two discussions each week. It is while answering one of these questions that I happened to piss off the entire class. The. Entire. Class.
Go me! No really. Here’s the posted question and my initial BS answer following it.
What are the evolutionary advantages of love?
I believe that the evolutionary advantages to falling in love can be seen throughout time. The harder the environment the better chance you will survive if you have someone helping to find food and shelter as well as offer protection. This can be seen in the stone age societies. Then you have the actual raising of a family. A human baby is completely helpless and can succumb to many things (extremes in temperature, predators, or famine). This is where two parents are an advantage over just one.
Now, here’s the “fun” part. We have to respond to two other student posts. My BS answer was responded to with this.
We can definitely see how it used to take two parents and even grandparents to raise a child, and now we see so many single parents doing it on their own.
And now the part where we learn that I have no filter. It goes something like this…
I agree that it used to be “a village” that raised a child and now it is not as often that the “village” is involved. Yet I don’t believe that the child produced by a single parent family is the same quality person as that raised by many supportive people. Not that the kids in the single parent environment don’t grow up to be fully-functional successful people just that it’s a different kind of experience thus producing a different adult.
Oh yes I just said that! Now, I sit here with my mug of hot tea just waiting for the thrashing I am about to receive. Do I wish I could change my response? NO! Did I cringe as I pressed the reply button? Most definitely. We shall see how this plays out.
Midwestern Ramblings 
I’m not going to thrash you. I actually totally agree with you and could go on about children that go to daycare vs. staying home for those first couple of years too. My husband and I are perfect examples of your answer. I grew up with a single-mother and my husband grew up in a very strong catholic family that divorce isn’t really something they deal with. We are totally different and have different views on certain things. I think he was definately at an advantage, he went to better schools and was encouraged and supported financially for college. Working single-parents have less time for complete family discussions regarding important issues and don’t have the complete attention span for all the little things going on with their children. Working single-parents are generally so busy keeping the financials afloat they just don’t have as much time for the foundational things that a two-parent family is usually able to provide. With all that said, there are definately many exceptions to the rule.
Thanks Cathy! Boy do I wish you were in my class to post this for me. Sadly the posts are no longer able to be accessed (or there would be a few on here already). Another wonderful thing about this instructor. Just know that there were several very colorful comments and that I responded in a very PC “Let’s agree to disagree on this particular topic.”