One of the society’s most basic fabrics has been the traditional family unit – that is, a mother, a father, and their biological children. But as society becomes more progressive and accepting of alternative family types, we have begun to see the emergence of a new type of family, the “modern family”. So as we embrace the range of newer and less traditional family units, it’s important for us to understand the impact they have on our lives, and the lives of the children who are being raised. How does the gender of a parent influence a child’s development? Is there benefit in still having a traditional “mother” and a traditional “father” figure in one’s life? Does a couple need to be “in love” in order to raise a child? Moreover, does one even need to be a part of a couple to raise a child, or has single parenting by choice shown to be effective? Professor Susan Golombok joins the podcast to share the main takeaways from her 40 years of research.