Check out these character writing prompts about parents and guardians! We live in a world very different from the one fifty years ago in which the parents of a child would nearly always consist of a biological father and a biological mother. Now we have more frequent instances of step parents, sperm donors, same-sex parents and other family members raising the children. If you are writing a young adult book or simply a story with child characters, these are some ideas for keeping their parents interesting.
Free Character Writing Prompts #6: Parents and Guardians
1. He was a good husband and father who tried his hardest to tend to his family while working a very high-maintenance, high hours job. Once of his main purposes in life was to earn enough money to make his wife and children comfortable, which is why he was willing to do something that he didn't completely love. When he was finally able to retire early, his wife was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and he learned that she had been having an affair. His usual mild-mannered temper changed to manic in a hurry. How does he best care for his wife, his children and himself during this difficult situation.
2. He always knew that he was gay, but where he grew up, it was the style to get married and have kids before he could figure out how to tell anyone. Despite this repression, he was wildly successful as a result of channeling his energy into his own business. When he came out to his wife and children the collective response was, "Finally!" He and his wife now have an open relationship and remain married. While he dates occasionally, he still puts most of his effort into his job. Always a serious person, he has taken to smiling much more often since coming out. What will the next ten years bring for this man and his progressive family?
3. She always knew she would be a holy woman and early on it life, she took a vow of celibacy. While overseas on a missionary trip, she was brutally raped and left for dead. She survived the ordeal and upon returning home, she learned she was pregnant. In her mind, there was no choice but to keep the baby. She determined she would have to give up her vow to find a suitable father for the child. How will this godly woman alter her ways to enter a dating relationship with another Christian while pregnant.
4. As a teen singing sensation, she was able to avoid some of the things that come with having a responsible life. Unfortunately for her life plans, that did not include skipping protection during sex. Despite her manager's suggestions of an abortion, she decided to take a year off to have the baby before she would start back on the road. A funny thing happened. Behind all the makeup and the high notes was an average, brown-haired, brown-eyed girl who wanted to lead a somewhat normal life. At the end of the year, her manager calls her. What does she decide to do and why?
5. Nearly two decades ago, he had given birth to a beautiful baby girl before giving her up for adoption. Ten years later, he determined that he wanted to live life as a man and had the necessary operations and hormone therapy to become one. One week ago, he received a message from his daughter who had recently lost her adoptive parents in a horrible accident. She is disgusted by her mother's sex change but has no where else to go. How do they learn to live together.
6. From all outward appearances, he seemed like the perfect father. He was the chairman of a local religious organization and he treated his two daughters like princesses. While he looked somewhat like George Costanza from "Seinfeld," he acted much more like a friendly neighbor. Appearances can be deceiving, however, and it turned out he had embezzled over a million dollars from the religious group over the years and that he'd be going to prison. His daughters would now have to be parented from jail. Why did he do the crime and how will he fare during his time in the slammer?
7. She was a free spirit, a lesbian and she was in a civil union with a lawyer who more than financially covered her creative desires to do whatever she wanted. Their adopted children were growing up and began to rebel. This gave her more free time than ever which always caused her thoughts to run wild and bounce around like ping-pong balls. She was very loving, which her children very much appreciated, but they began to tire of such outward parental affection. What are some creative projects she has worked on and how will she cope with empty-nest syndrome if her kids go away to college?
8. She felt she had two main purposes in life, taking care of her family and protecting her country from terrorists. Her husband was more than willing to be with the kids solo so that she could go overseas and serve in the Armed Forces. She missed her children but felt that it was her calling to be on the front lines. She saw some scary things over there, but by thinking of her squad members as her additional children, she was able to cope by being the mama bear with a gun. Late at night, she would pray to her kids, thousands of miles away, hoping they would understand why mommy needed to be away. Will she continue to return to the front lines as her children grow up and why?
9. He once reached the New York Times Bestseller List with a book about being a loving and kind parent. If you told this fact to his teenage daughter, however, she'd scoff in your face and roll her eyes. He actually wasn't a half-bad dad, he listened, he was understanding and he was willing to compromise about most things. Despite going around the country and lecturing about parenting skills and being compassionate, his own daughter was particularly rebellious against his best efforts. He hoped he would be able to effectively show is love for her without her feeling too smothered. After all, he dedicated the book to her, not that she'd ever read it. How does he cope with his parenting celebrity and how might he be able to more effectively connect with his daughter?
10. When she was in high school, she was one of the wildest kids the school had ever seen and her popularity soared to the top. The one issue preventing her from being queen of the school was that during her junior year, she got pregnant and decided to keep the baby. Throughout her late teens and early twenties she stared longingly at her junior prom picture, which showed her trying to conceal her massive belly in a beautiful, lavender dress. When her daughter reached the age of 16, her mother was determined to make her daughter as popular and fun-loving as she had been. Even if it meant doing it against her will. She chaperoned every school function and in a way, was more popular with the popular kids than her daughter was. She even started dating the former star quarterback of the school who just graduated last year. How does this fun-loving, nostalgic mom both raise her average daughter and relive her glory days?
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Use the above prompts or article as inspiration to write a story or other short piece.
