. >> reporter: santa clara university professor gerald shapiro has written extensively on fatherhood and counselled hundreds of families. he says this is one trend that only will grow as women extend their child-bearing years. so what does it mean for the children of moms? >> eif you make it right for the child, you make it right for everybody. >> reporter: he says as difficult as it may be, parents in multiple-partner families must make it a priority to share time and resources evenly. >> when you have a child with someone, you're never totally divorced from them. you might get legally divorced, emotionally divorced but you're not totally divorced because you have this child that is part of each of you. >> reporter: not only for the kids' sake but the dads too who often meal alienated when the mom moves on. >> having another family start up with their child as a step child has got to be wrenching for the dads. >> reporter: but he says children, especially boys, can benefit from the influence from multiple dads. >> he learns a lot from one and gets feedback from the other. both diffe

. >> reporter: santa clara university professor, gerald shapiro has written extensively on fatherhood and counseled hundreds of families. this is one way that families will grow. what does it mean for children of moms like consuela. >> if you make it right for the child, you make it right for everybody. >> reporter: parents in multiple partner families must make it a priority to share time and resources evenly. >> when you have a child with someone, you are never totally divorced from them. you have this child. that's part of each of you. >> reporter: not only for the kid's sake, but the dads, too, who often feel alienated when mom moves on. >> having another family start up, as a child as a stepchild in the family has to be wrenching for the dads. >> reporter: but children can benefit from the influence of multiple dads. >> he learns a lot from one. and gets feedback from the other. he's learning and becoming a better person. >> reporter: for consuela, the ideas that her sons will grow up with more friends and families like theirs, mean mrs. support and better understanding. two fact