Actually, the Mosuo are a remarkably peaceful and stable society. War, murder, and rape are unknown among them. Some believe that "Shangri-La" referred to them.

What is causing us problems is the transition. When social structures are changing, it's always stressful.

And it's not like Mosuo boys don't have male role models. Their mother's brothers are usually around. Men who want to raise children nuture their sister's children, rather than their own. (This is not unusual even in non-matriarchal societies. "Mama's baby, daddy's maybe." A man can never be sure his wife's child is his, but he can be 100% sure that his sister's children are related to him.)

When you think about it...such families are probably more stable for kids than our own. A husband may abandon his wife and children, but the mother's brothers will likely always be around. Indeed, the "traditional family" isn't Ozzie and Harriet. It's the extended family - not just mom, dad, and kids, but uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents. That's how kids are meant to grow up.

It's true that kids tend to do better with two parents than with one. But it doesn't have to be two biological parents. Studies suggest that it's the ratio of adults to kids that matters. So two adults in the family is better than one...but three or four is better than two.