| The emotional reaction which a person has on hearing | | | | regardless of the number of parents present, there is |
| the phrase "single parent family" might very well | | | | little statistical difference in the children's academic |
| depend on his or her age. | | | | performance. While this finding sheds real doubt on the |
| For Americans who came of age before 1975, the | | | | assumption that a two parent household is "better" for |
| mental picture of an ideal family, as portrayed by the | | | | a child, it is really not surprising. |
| media, included two parents, one of whom, usually the | | | | In a single parent household with an adequate income, |
| father, was the breadwinner. Those children who | | | | the parent will have more free time to devote to the |
| came from homes with only one parent present were | | | | children's studies and school activities. Children who |
| considered, by researchers, to be experiencing a | | | | have that sort of support, even if from "only" one |
| "Family Deficit Model." Hardly an attitude designed to | | | | parent, are much better equipped to deal with the |
| help single parents and their children feel good about | | | | intellectual and social demands of school than children |
| themselves. | | | | in either single or two parent households who do not |
| Even worse, researchers did not look past the lack of | | | | have it. |
| a father or mother to other factors common in | | | | It's also been shown that children in single parent |
| single-parent households when deciding that life in one | | | | homes who receive regular child support from the |
| of them automatically doomed children to second-rate | | | | absent parent will perform better academically than |
| academic and social performance. But with over | | | | those who do not. This factor has nothing to do with |
| three-fifths of all US children born in the last | | | | the single parenting abilities of the parent with whom |
| twenty-five years now spending at least five years in | | | | the child lives, but is another indication that the biggest |
| a single parent household, understanding single | | | | factor in single parenting positive and negative effects |
| parenting positive and negative effects on academics | | | | on academics is not a matter of parenting style, but of |
| is crucial. | | | | income. |
| Research into the single parenting positive and | | | | And in certain circumstances, a single parenting positive |
| negative effects on academics is ongoing, but studies | | | | effect on academics may actually stem from having a |
| completed in 1991 and 1997 indicated that there was a | | | | mother who must work full time to support the family. |
| 300% higher high school drop out rate among children | | | | The mother's income, of course, is an obvious benefit, |
| from single family homes than among those in | | | | but a 1986 study headed by Ann Milne indicated that |
| "nuclear" families. This was in spite of the fact that the | | | | African American elementary school children in |
| academic abilities of the dropouts in either group were | | | | low-income single parent homes with working mothers |
| equal. | | | | outperformed those in low-income two-parent homes |
| One explanation for this statistic is that single parents, | | | | with stay-at-home mothers. When low incomes are |
| often their family's sole sources of income, cannot | | | | involved, it appears that children with mothers who |
| always spend time overseeing their children's study | | | | struggle to support them are inspired to overcome |
| habits, or being present at extracurricular activities. But | | | | their disadvantages. |
| an even bigger factor, and probably the single most | | | | If the continuing research into single parenting positive |
| important one, in single parenting positive and negative | | | | and negative effects on academics bears these |
| effects on academics is the typically lower income | | | | earlier findings out, we may learn that the secret to |
| level of single parent homes. | | | | raising a successful, well-adjusted student is nothing |
| Among households of similar size and equal income, | | | | more than money. |