Non-monogamous relationships seem to be on the rise. Is that surprising? | Mandy Len Catron

We want our partners to help clean, cook, parent, and remind us to go to the gym. It's a lot to ask of one person - what if there were more than one?

Our identical twins had been home from the hospital for just over a month when I saw a Facebook post from my friend Niko. He was also having a baby - but instead of doing it with two parents, he was doing it with three: himself (papa), his partner (mama), and her other partner (dada). In addition to having a mom and two dads, a fourth adult would also be living with the family - as the baby's bonus adult".

I wasn't surprised by this unusual arrangement; Niko has been openly non-monogamous since I met him years earlier. I was excited for him and his growing family, but I also felt a sharp mix of envy and despair.