| Helping to provide advice to help the single parent deal | | | | morality of the parents. |
| and understand the many issues surrounding | | | | With people always looking for ways to cut money |
| parenthood | | | | they often forget about the child's needs. And I'm not |
| Over the last 25 years or so being a single parent has | | | | talking about the parent here. Being a single parent |
| become more usual and acceptable to society. It is no | | | | more financial support should be provided. Making sure |
| longer frowned upon, in fact now days it is quite the | | | | a child grows up with the most care should always |
| opposite. Many people are inspired by how they are | | | | come first. |
| able to look after their children alone. Over this period | | | | Aside from these economic realities, single parents |
| of time more support structures have been put in | | | | also have to face the reality that children who live with |
| place that have help the single parent to raise their | | | | single parents or even with a parent and step-parent, |
| family. | | | | experience disadvantages in terms of psychological |
| Often the results of being a single parent are due to 3 | | | | functioning, behavioral problems, education, and health. |
| main factors which are death of a spouse, divorce or | | | | Children with single parents are one and a half times |
| a teenage pregnancy | | | | likely to drop out of school and work in their early |
| When a child is born out of wedlock it does not in | | | | teens and twenties than children who grew up with |
| anyway affect the parental status as proven by the | | | | two parents. Children with single parents are also twice |
| statistics. | | | | as likely to have a child before the age of 20 as those |
| Over the past 20 years surveys have shown the | | | | raised in two-parent family. |
| number of single parent family households has nearly | | | | Many psychologists and child development workers |
| doubled. A census in America shown that 59% of | | | | argue however that these studies are oversimplified |
| children are at one stage live with a single parent. | | | | and outdated. Many factors are involved in the |
| These stats are only an estimate. Recent figures | | | | psychological development of a child raised in a single |
| shown that there are close to 12 million single parents | | | | parent home. Cooperation between divorced parents |
| who are raising their family alone in the US. Adding to | | | | and quality of attention given to the child are examples. |
| that figure is that children under the age of 18 will live | | | | No child in a single parent family is by default doomed |
| with either their mom or dad. Just over 80% of children | | | | for a maladjusted life. Single parents must model |
| who live with a single mother. | | | | self-respect and self-nurturing to the children and |
| The families that are headed by a single women are | | | | establish a support system for the family. |
| more vulnerable, this is because of a number of | | | | Single parent surveys seem to suggest that children |
| reasons. The main one being that the women's social | | | | who live with a single parent will tend to not perform |
| position in society is still weaker than that of the men. | | | | as will in their academic studies and will also receive |
| Not only do single mothers have to deal with the | | | | less mental stimulation than those who live in two |
| gender based limitations of gaining employment but | | | | parent households. Personally I think the survey is false. |
| also have to cope with a demanding family. This can | | | | The best single parent advice on dealing with bringing |
| cause a lot of pressure if she is provided with no | | | | your kids up alone would be not to be scared of |
| support from external sources. | | | | asking for help from family and friends. Whether it be |
| There had been policy proposals that were put in | | | | for babysitting or a hand in grocery shopping. I can |
| place for single parents to receive social benefits but | | | | understand that some single parents may not have |
| these have been controversial. According to liberal | | | | this but do not let the pressure of parenthood get to |
| individualist, if people choose to have children, they are | | | | you to much. There are lots of people and information |
| responsible to look after them. | | | | out there that will help in providing advice on what you |
| The collectivist position which dominates continental | | | | need. Single parents deserve our respect for being |
| Europe holds that children are other peoples business | | | | able to raise their child without a partner and should |
| as well. This position also believes that the interest of | | | | receive help in any form that they need. |
| the children is far greater than any concerns about the | | | | |