South Orange resident Leslie Carmine reflects on today's headlines.

The 10-year-old came into the room with a copy of today's paper. "So why is this a big deal?" he asked, showing me the headline that announced New York State's passage of a marriage equality bill. "Were they, like, the last state to make gay marriage okay? Like the grand finale." He pronounced finale like final, as in final exam. "No, sweetie," I say. "Very few states allow gay marriage."

"Why not?" he asks. "Don't other states want to be like us?" "It's not legal in New Jersey, sweetie," I say. "Didn't you know that?"

Long pause while he thinks. "Wait a minute," he says at last. "Jason's moms aren't married? What about Ethan and Carina's dad and papa?" I shake my head as he lists families around the neighborhood, active PTA volunteers in his school, and my brother and his partner.

"None of them are married?" he asks again. "Is that legal, that they can have kids and houses and dogs and everything and not be married?"

"It takes a lot of paperwork, except for the dogs. Well, maybe even to have dogs. For the other things you need lawyers and court." I tell him as his eyes glaze over, "but yes. It's legal."

"Not married?" he repeats in surprise, walking away. "Does Jason know his mothers aren't married?" It's a funny world and great time to live in it. This South Orange – Maplewood kid thinks nothing of same-gender parents or alternative family arrangements because that's what he knows. I admit that I feel a twinge when he refers to Jason's mothers as "the one who always comes to baseball" and "the fat one." One of my resolutions is to find out what all parents of the kids' friends prefer to be called, especially when there's possible confusion. But the kids don't think twice.