Although the orbits of the sun and its planets have inexplicably not changed since the election of President- Elect Barack H. Obama, the latter's wondrous earth shattering effects are still reverberating.  Lini S. Kadaba of the Philadelphia Inquirer discovered another bit of magic in the Obama election.

"Obama is an example of what can be" from single-parent homes"

Imagine that!  

According to most research, as opposed to two parent homes, children from single parent homes drop out of school, live in poverty, suffer from depression, do jail time and engage in other acts of anti social behavior in higher numbers.  However many of these children can and do recover from these problems and emerge from these situations into a fairly functional adulthood, although scarred.   Obviously many don't.   Obama apparently did endure some of these single parent issues, with the added complexity of seeking his identity because of his unusual heritage, moving to a strange country and his mother's, er, erratic parental presence. 

But, the young Obama had some support.  When she was with him, his mother was positively involved with her son.  The family did not live in a dangerous neighborhood, not even in Indonesia. . 

And then there was the role of Obama's "typical white" grandparents.  As his mother wandered off, his  pale, middle class grandparents took him in, giving the young Obama a relatively stable and loving home.  His grandmother, by a dint of talent became a bank vice president which guaranteed financial stability as well. She also obtained a scholarship for him at a prestigious  private school, thus he perhaps avoided a troubled public school filled with  the behaviorally challenged children from single parent homes that bedevil many public schools in poverty areas.

But if Obama's election gives single parents hope and the inspiration to work even harder with their children, as anecdotally related in the article, well and good. Even better, of course, if these single parents would become a couple before becoming a parent or do more to involve the other parent in the child's upbringing.

That would really help their children while making their own situation better.

After all, look how Barack Obama, product of a single parent home,  married "the love of his life," remained with her  and, while both pursued careers, are publicly at least--and very probably privately--both committed to the well being of their children.  And oh yes, Obama grew up, went to college, received a law degree, became a community organizer, a state senator, a US senator and is now on the verge of becoming president of the US.  Only in America