To the editor:

Basketball coaches speak of their players being role models on and off the court. Whether those are hard or impossible expectations, reasonable or unreasonable, I’m disappointed in the “model” Mr. Collison has left us to follow. The Oct. 16 Journal-World reported that his baby Emma was cute. She and her mom (Nick’s girlfriend) were at the exhibition game. Come on, Nick, be a million-dollar dad and get married already. You now have “an audience of one” who will be learning from everything you do or don’t do. Look ahead 20 years or so. What would you want her to do?

That goes for every other unmarried parent reading this. Don’t take your example from “Brangelina” or “TomKat” or anyone else who wants to make unmarried parenting the “standard.” I’ve heard that the best way you can show love to your child is to show love to your partner. So make a commitment to that child by making a lifelong commitment to your child’s mom or dad. That’s all it takes to be a million-dollar parent. (I have two of them. Thanks, Mom and Dad.)

Verna Froese,

Lawrence