Facts About Single Parents

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by Jane Bear

Single parenting is already becoming a rapidly growing trend in the society today. Studies show, that in the United States alone, there are four single parents to every ten parents and there are two single parents for every 10 adults.

Being a single parent may occur as the result of many things. Often, it is opted for by the parent (as in divorce, adoption, artificial insemination, surrogate motherhood, or extramarital pregnancy), and sometimes it is an unforeseeable occurrence (as in the death of one parent or abandonment by one parent).

More of single parent homes are female than male. The reason for this is that mothers are the one who gave birth to the child, so the mother and child have a stronger connection than with the fathers. But whatever the sex of the parent, parenting alone raises some unique challenges.

Single mothers have more difficult time providing for their families because women generally have lower paying jobs than men. Even if this is the case, they are more likely to nurture their children by telling them they love them, hugging them, and showing affection towards them.

Before, fathers just were not socialized to be primary caregivers, but now it is not so rare to see a father raising a child on his own. Men tend to have higher positions in the work force, which in turn gives them higher income. However, fathers often do not communicate as well with their children as mothers do.

Being a single parent is a great challenge; they must juggle the demands of work, homework, house cleaning, and dealing with the financial aspects of running a family. Many children benefit from the increased attention that a single parent will often bestow in the absence of a spouse. Being brought up in a single parent home often makes children more mature, more self-reliant, and more responsible at a younger age.

Due to the constraints of parenthood, the time is often spent between work and taking care of the children rather than going out with friends or dates. Single parents won’t have much time at all for yourself; in essence, your ’self’ will be all about the children.

Single parents have the unique opportunity to influence their child or children for good or ill, without the counterbalance of another parent. Fortunately, many children raised in a single parent home will report with admiration the extra effort made by their single parent Mom or Dad.

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