Can Single Parents Raise Successful Children?
Lavern Francis
COM 220
Instructor James York
August 17, 2008
Are children who grow-up in a single parent household more likely to struggle in school, get into trouble with the law, and develop serious social problems such as low self-esteem and unhealthy relationships in the future? The myth is that a single parent cannot raise a successful child. That child who grows up in a single parent household is more likely to struggle in school, get into trouble with the law and develop serious social problems. Many negative predictions for children raised by a single parent have more to do with economic hardship than the lack of one parent. Single parents have raised many well-rounded,
…show more content…
Their experiences can give them respect for marriage and relationships. They may plan to delay marriage and to select a mate very carefully. They may also realize that they should prepare themselves to be capable of supporting a one-parent family both emotionally and financially for they know this is a real possibility. Children who grow up in single parent homes learn to assume responsibility. Children of one-parent families, out of necessity, must assume more responsibility at home. They quickly learn to appreciate the things that parents work hard to provide.
Children in one-parent homes have realistic and cautious views of marriage and family life. Children and parents in singe parent homes develop self-reliance. Because the children have only one resident parent and that parent is probably employed, they will often be at home alone. As long as safety concerns have been addressed, children can learn to enjoy being on their own and can take care of their own needs (World News Connection, 2008). Being able to be content alone as well as with other people is a value adjustment. Self-concepts are strengthened. Initially, many single parents and their children experience a severe drop in their economic and social standings as well as in self-concepts. Most experience guilt feelings and a sense of hopelessness. However, overcoming their negative concept is, in itself, a proof of inner strength. Much of the earlier help is from forces outside
All across the globe, there are children growing up in single-parent households, and through some research
However, by rising to these challenges, custodial single parents develop significant strengths. The positive benefits of being a single parent are that the child receives a lesson in independence. The child sees how strong the one parent is at providing them with everything they need without having to depend on someone else. The parents are showing their children that it is possible to live on their own, have an enjoyable life and take care of others while doing so. The children will know that they are a priority to the parent. When there is a second parent around the house, it can be easy to put responsibility off on them, but when the children see how hard the parent is working for them, they will understand how important they are to their parent. (Dowd, 1997)
For the first five years of my childhood, I was raised in a single parent home. My mother would have to work harder to provide anything that was needed for me and my other siblings. But that changed when my father came back into our lives when I turned six. From that point on our family structure took a drastic change for the better. My mother didn't have to work as long as before, so we were able to see her more often. Having two parents at home caused the quality of our lives become better than it was before when only one parent supported us. For many households, however the reality is that only one parent during their upbringing. This does have a rather big effort on them in the life of the child and the parent who is raising the child. A single parent household harms the parent and the child.
This journal explains that researchers, such as Amato, have several theories that explain why and how children growing up with single parents have an elevated risk of experiencing problems. Some of these problems include cognitive thinking, social interaction and the emotional well-being of the child. Most of the theories discuss economic and parental resources available to children. They also talk about the stressful events and circumstances to which these children must adapt.
In the article, “It’s Better To Be Raised by a Single Mom”, author Pamela Gwyn Kripke states that, “Kids of unmarried parents, according to all of those studies (of rich moms and poor, educated moms and not-so), are supposed to be failures.” If you really take a look at the situation of single parenting, it should be seen that it is not primarily who or how many people are raising the child, but rather how the child is being raised or brought up. If you really think about it, children with two parents in their household can take on the same emotional, social, and behavioral skills just as kids with one parent. Many say that for a child to be fully developed socially and emotionally, that they must be raised by two parents rather than one. In the article, “5 Things To Know About Kids Who Grew Up With Single Parents”, author Bob Alaburda states, “Growing up with loving parents can fill you with positive examples of how to handle relationships when you're older. Even having two parents who hate each others' guts can demonstrate what NOT to do. Either way, it's a learning experience. But children of a single parent are left to gain that experience on their
For a long time, youngsters experiencing childhood in a solitary parent family have been seen as various. Being raised by just a single parent appears to be difficult to numerous yet over the decades it has turned out to be more predominant. In today 's general public numerous kids have grown up to end up distinctly sincerely steady and fruitful whether they had maybe several gatekeepers to appear them the rough way that life offers to every single person. The issue lies in the distinction of kids raised by single guardians versus youngsters raised by both a mother what 's more, a father. Does a kid require both guardians? Does a young man require a father figure around? Does the administration give assistance to single guardians? What
Through many years, children growing up in single family homes has been discovered as problems. “At first glance, defending single mothers and their children. Raised by a strong and resourceful single mother, I turned out OK” (Wilcox). Being raised up with one parent seems to be stressful and impossible, but for decades its become possible to happen. In the society today, there are children growing up overcoming emotional stages and achieving their goals whether if they have both parents to show them difficult paths in their life that they will overcome as a growing human being. The problems that occurs within raising a child in a single family home compared to a married home can be different or the same depending on the disciplinary actions. There are many questions asked, does a child need both parent figures to be raised? Does a son need a father figure, does a daughter need a mother figure? Among all the questions asked, is there a person taking care the main responsible with much undertaking, on the single parenting topic it has become an interesting argument. People need to be more informed with raising a child. Raising a child does not rely on the structure of a family, it is more to how a parent is discipline and having a proper process of teaching their child with learning how to be mature and respectful. Children of a single home can be progressive with the same emotional, social able, and interactive behavioral skills that is raised with both parents.
“Single-parent families now constitute 30 percent of all families with minor children and are the most rapidly growing families in America” (as cited in Dowd, 1997). When people hear the term ‘single-parent’ they automatically think it means a person who is the legal guardian of a child or children. It is typical for a single-parent to be a woman, because the statistics on the proportion of the children who live with their mother is at 87 percent, while a small 13 percent live with their father (as cited in Dowd, 1997). Because of the diversity in household types, a common question has been asked several times. Which type is better? Raising a child in a single-parent household or a two-parent household?
Single-parented adolescents are at a disadvantage because they often lack the luxuries and advantages that other children and adolescents with both parents present have. They lack the attention and nurturing that is given more often in an ideal family structure. This may be due to the parent giving all their time, effort, and energy trying to provide for the children and adolescents that they unintentionally forfeit opportunities to
Divorce and out-of-wedlock childbirth are transforming the lives of American children. In the postwar generation more than 80 percent of children grew up in a family with two biological parents who were married to each other. By 1980 only 50 percent could expect to spend their entire childhood in an intact
When an individual has a child and they are a single parent, they have to pay attention to the child and the child’s needs. There are few advantages for a child living in a single parent home. They often get to live in two houses and fluctuate between houses. They get two holiday celebrations with the parents. This kind of
For most people, the home life can affect how you act everyday, this is no different for children and school. The stress from home is shown to affect a child's school life. Research has shown that children that live with a single parent score less than children with two parents, on average, with measurements of educational achievements. The reason why children usually do worse than kids with both parents, is because the single parent must work. Therefore is not home to help with homework. Parents also provide the child with emotional support, encouragement and everyday assistance. So, if there is only one parent, then the child is only receiving half of the previously stated things compared to children with two parents. These things can affect a person at any school level. Over 57 percent of children who live with both parents enter college. Compared to the 32.5 percent of children who have single parents that enter college. This is just one way that single parenting can affect a child's life.\
as different. Being raised by only one parent seems impossible to many yet over the decades it has become more prevalent. In today’s society many children have grown up to become emotionally stable and successful whether they had one or two parents to show them the rocky path that life bestows upon all human beings. The problem lies in the difference of children raised by single parents versus children raised by both a mother and a father. Does a child need both parents? Does a young boy need a father figure around? Does the government provide help for single parents? What role do step-parents and step-siblings play? With much speculation, this topic has become a very intriguing argument. What people must understand is that properly raising a child does not rely on the structure of a family but should be more focused on the process or values that are taught to these children as they learn to mature. Children of single parents can be just as progressive with emotional, social and behavioral skills as those with two parents.
Children of single parent households may find that they do not feel as close to the parent that they live with. This can be because the children are a different gender than the parent or because the parent has increased the children’s responsibilities. Children that are a different gender than the parent that they live with may find that they are unable to confide in or ask questions of that parent due to the gender difference. An example of this could be that a daughter raised by her father may miss out on advice that only a mother can give. Children of single parent households may also find an increase in their responsibilities as the single parent is no longer able to perform all the household duties that they were able to prior to becoming a single parent household. A single parent will spend more time outside of the home and may be unavailable to make sure that the children are fed at night and do their
Many children in today’s society have grown to become successful and mentally stable whether they had two parents, or one parent raise them. With everything in life it is never about quantity, but quality. This could apply to single parenting as well. As long as a parent create a stable and nurturing home their child will grow up to be a mature, hard working, independent, and loving adult. Family structure should not be the main focus when it comes to raising children, the focus should be on the values and life lessons that are taught to the child as they mature in life. Family structure in the last decade have change drastically. Children are being raised by same sex parents, grandparents, extended family, a single father, or a single