I am pretty new to this site, and I continue to be impressed with the amazing thought provoking questions and equally thoughtful responses by so many people. What great words of wisdom MMM that you share.
CD - I don't have children myself, but as MM shows, many of us balance our private and public lives.
Years ago, merely being gay was something that was hidden by most people from nearly everyone out of fear of discrimination in work, housing, and even life; Many grew to be comfortable being public about being gay, but when HIV came out, many went into the closet about that aspect of themselves. Now more and more people are comfortable being out about their HIV status with family and friends. The next level is regarding the extent of our extreme sexuality. Few people share the details of the kind of sex that they have with families, and that is probably a good thing. Only on rare occasions have I seen or heard heartwarming stories - such as seeing a guy dressed in leather at a San Francisco leatherbar christmas party last year with his elderly mother (who loved hanging out with all the gay guys in leather!) Or a gay guy who I know who has a gay son, and his son texts his father when he is hooking up with a trick, and then again to let his father know that he got back home safe.
Those are pretty rare and extreme, and something that comes to few of us. You don't have to share these intimate details with your family, but the one person you have to be honest and accepting with is yourself.