DEAR ABBY: The letter from "Junie's Only Mom" reminded me of something that occurred shortly after my wife and I were married.
My wife had two daughters, ages 3 and 6, and an ex-husband who wasn't interested in raising kids. Curiously, while the oldest looked like her mother, the youngest strongly resembled me.
One day while the youngest girl and I were waiting in line at the supermarket, a customer commented that I would never lose my daughter since she was my spitting image. I responded that was strange since she was my stepdaughter.
As we left the store, my stepdaughter emphatically insisted that if people thought she was my "real" daughter, I should let them think that. Over the last 11 years, this scenario has played out several times, and I've never corrected anyone again.
Abby, a "real" parent is the one who is there from diapers to dating, and has nothing to do with biology. -- A "REAL" MONTANA DAD
DEAR DAD: Out of the mouths of babes ...