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I would like to say first of all I have a boyfriend whom I love very much. He is my everything. My best friend had a baby boy on Easter. His name is Holden. She is about to divorce her husband because he is not a good father at all. She has asked me to help, and as a female wanting a child, but with a very childish boyfriend who will never commit, I would like to take her up on her offer and be there as a "parent" figure. Is this wrong? Can two females successfully raise a child as long as their is a male figure present?

My mum raised me and my brother mostly by herself, with some help from my grandparents. My dad left before I was born, my brothers dad was in and out of his life until about two years ago, and my mum has been a great person in raising us. My brother is a bit on the rebellious side, but I don't think in any way my mum did anything wrong in how she has raised us (my brother is 12 by the way, so still some raising there)

I had someone tell me (he was American and the only reason he told me this is because I refused to netdate him and went back with someone I used to have a lot of complaints about, but we're now just great) that my mum should've raised me 'better' just because I fell pregnant at 16, and kept the child. His sister (or so she says) also goes on about how badly my mum raised me (yeah, I could tell you a LOT about how her parents raised them and how they've both turned into complete whores, but I wont wink )

I feel my mum has done her best, even better. Sure, I didn't finish school and I have a child at the young age of 17 (almost 18, Kyra's a year old now) but that doesn't mean she didn't raise me right, does it? If she hadn't raised me right, I would've ended up in a bad relationship, doing drugs, having God knows how many abortions before I was 16, and probably near enough killing myself. Or I could've gone and had sex with different people, not knowing about STDs or pregnancy.
A family isn't always a mum, dad and child/ren. A family is having people who love and care for you. A mum can raise a child on her own, or a dad can raise a child on his own, and the child will turn out great. If you want to help her out, do so. But don't try to take the fathers role. It's not fair on the child, and it's sure as hell not fair on your partner.

Just a question, I take it you want children someday. Is your partner ever willing to commit? And how old are you both? (if you're young, then it might be that he doesn't want to commit fully just yet, but may in the future) Most women have the natural insticts to want to reproduce, it's a way to carry on our race. Men don't always have the same ideas in mind.
My partner was 18 when I fell pregnant. True, children were the last thing on our mind at the time, but he has been a great father and it was partly his decision to keep Kyra as well as mine.

I will say two things, that may sound harsh. One, don't get too attached to your friends baby which means you're with her and the child more than you are with your partner. Second is don't try forcing him to commit. Perhaps he might be ready someday on his own, but don't try forcing him else you'll push him away.
You can also try getting him involved a bit with your friends baby, so that the child has a male rolemodel, even if your partner isn't turned to the idea of having a child with you. It's a great learning experience for men as well, before, if ever, they have their own children.

I dont believe in the male role model thing at this age for a kid. You do not have to be commited to a man in any sort of sexual relationship for him to be important to the picture. Put the kid in sports and the coach will be that influence, get him a male tutor. There are plenty of options without having a dad in the picture for him to have male influece. You and your friend need to talk it out long and hard what your roles will be, you will be giving the child a large part of your heart and it would not do for her to get jealous and try to shove you out of the picture.

There isn't anything that can harm a child about having a ton of people that love them and want only the best for them.

I think ALL kids have "uncles and aunts" you know the people who aren't really blood relations but are pretty much family.