| There are studies on top of studies depicting the | | | | meet the needs of her 9 to 5 and the needs of her |
| horrible, poverty stricken, drug laced life a single-parent | | | | family. |
| child will inevitably face. Whether it is father-only | | | | The Effects of Single Parenting on the Children |
| homes, or mother-only homes, we hear of the awful | | | | Social problems, lower academic achievement, and |
| challenges destined to fill the lives of these poor | | | | unacceptable behavior are just a few of the issues |
| children. Are the reports really true? What are the real | | | | that our teachers face on a day to day basis more so |
| effects of single parenting? | | | | with children from single-parent homes than not. The |
| The Effects of Single Parenting on the Parent | | | | stress level of these children is astronomical. Our |
| Stressful is the first word most used to describe the | | | | educational system expects these children to come to |
| life of a single parent But what are the actual effects | | | | school and leave their home life behind, and with that |
| of single parenting on the parent? Whatever situation | | | | expectation brings added stress levels in children too |
| has brought them to this point of being solely | | | | young to handle it, which in turn, returns home with |
| responsible for the care and upbringing of a child is | | | | them at the end of the day. |
| already stressful in itself. Add to that the responsibilities | | | | These children can suffer from everything from |
| of paying bills, working full-time or going to school, and | | | | depression to psychosis. Not solely because a mother |
| then dinner, dishes and baths at the end of the day | | | | or father is absent from the home, blame cannot lie |
| can leave a parent emotionally and physically drained. | | | | wholly upon this situation, but the effects of single |
| A single parent faces challenges that two-parent | | | | parenting can and have definitely influenced the life and |
| families can't imagine. A very true example is one of | | | | living of men and women well into their adult lives, and |
| the single parent becoming ill. All that is required of the | | | | sadly enough, into their own families as well. |
| family is still required. The children still need to eat, to go | | | | What Can be Done? |
| to school, to get to football practice and gymnastics | | | | It is so very important for single parents to reach out |
| class. They still need help with the homework and | | | | for help. Churches, hospitals and doctors, and yes, |
| getting their clothes ready for the next day. The single | | | | even Child Welfare offices have the resources to help |
| parent has no one to fill in, to help. Health issues can | | | | with the stresses, both emotionally and physically, that |
| certainly become a part of the difficult equation of | | | | go with the responsibilities of raising children alone. But |
| single parenting, again, escalating the level of stress | | | | it's up to the parent to realize and acknowledge that |
| and the ability to meet the needs of the children. The | | | | they need help, to realize that they aren't alone in the |
| biggest difference between men and women as single | | | | fight to keep their family happy, healthy, and together. |
| parents is that most fathers worry about being able to | | | | Admitting that help is needed is not an admission of |
| "keep in touch" with their child; being able to meet their | | | | failure, but of life; a life of hope and love and success |
| emotional needs. Mothers stress over being able to | | | | for the parent as well as the children. |