Rainbow Families is a support group for lesbian and gay parents, their children and non-gay family members on Staten Island. The group is co-sponsored by the Staten Island Children's Museum and the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Health and Wellness Project of the Community Health Action of Staten Island and welcomes all families. We meet on the third Sunday of each month, for play and conversation.

We attempt to have a discussion topic for these get-togethers; and we also allow a free-flow of conversation that can include anything from nutrition and learning how to get kids to eat vegetables, to creative ways to have time as a couple. We've discussed how best to get involved in schools, finding the best pediatrician, strategies for potty training and finding language to describe their family structure to others.

While parents chat, children can play with each other, under adult supervision. For the youngsters, the group provides a chance to experience families who, like theirs, may have two moms, or two fathers (or single moms or dads) in the household. Secondarily, the group offers the opportunity for children to build a network of peers with whom they can speak candidly about their feelings as they grow.