I am one of the 23% of single mothers in America (Bureau, 2016). Being a single mother is both common yet challenging because many single mothers face the same issues: it is hard to maintain a steady job, it is challenging to managing finances, and it is covered in a negative stigma.
I set an alarm for six in the morning, but typically Nathan’s cries wake me up around four. Since he is four months old now, he has a tendency to wake up due to his sleep cycle changing (Swanson, 2015). A typical transition for babies his age is learning how to fall back asleep without me needing to hold him, so I typically lie awake and stare at the ceiling until he calms back down and falls asleep. I fall in and out of sleep until my alarm strikes six, and then I jump out of bed to get ready for work. My morning routine consists of tiptoeing to the bathroom so Nathan does not wake up, taking a shower, and getting dressed. I always bring the wireless baby monitor into the bathroom so I can hear if I woke up Nathan. Before I had him, I would always blow-dry my hair, but because it is so loud, I let my hair dry naturally. I finish getting myself ready around half-past six, which is when I make Nathan’s infant cereal. As the cereal heats up, I gently wake up Nathan and get his bib on so I can bottle-feed him. Sometimes I think that it should really be me wearing the bib because of how often Nathan’s food ends up on me. After he eats, it is time to take him to daycare. Sending Nathan to daycare is
In today’s society it is not unusual to have a one-parent family with a young mother in charge. Teen mothers having children has increased so much over the years that it’s now a common occurance. Being a young single mother in today’s society is challenging but with the help of government assistance single mothers are finding their way.
Credibility: I am a single parent of two daughter and I must say that I can relate to a lot of single parents. It is hard. I can say that there are good days and bad days. Every day will not be perfect. At the age of 20, I became a single parent and caring for my daughter alone was the most difficult experience ever for me. Single parenting to me is work on top of work and it is never ending.
Edin and Lein wanted to discover the surviving strategies of single mothers who are on welfare or work on a low-waged job. They argue “neither welfare nor low wage work gives single mothers enough income to meet their families’ expenses” (253). To find out the set of survival strategies of single mothers to make ends meet Edin and Lein interviewed 379 low income single mothers. They chose their interviewees from different cities, different aged group, and different ethnic background. Most mothers who are on welfare wanted to find a job and be out of the welfare but the primary problem that single mothers face was that “family economics”. With the minimum wage income it was impossible for the single mothers to bring the ends meet. Neither working nor being on welfare was enough to survive therefore mothers who are on welfare supported their budget by generating substantial supplementary income. Edin and Lein states that “welfare recipients generated extra income by working at side jobs, obtaining cash from network members, community groups and local charities”. They also get cash help from the family members, child’s fathers, and from a boyfriend. Because they were afraid to lose welfare benefits they did not tell anyone about the extra income they have. To survive they needed both the welfare benefits and the extra income. It was very difficult to establish a trust with the interviewees in the beginning because they were afraid if they talk about it they might lose the
There are more single mothers than single fathers in the United States. Single mothers are spoken in high regard within our society, but hold some of the lowest wages. How are mothers expected to raise children while working two jobs to pay rent?
People all grow up in different places, around different people, under different circumstance and, all of these cause different effects on their lives. People are who they are today because of the experiences that they faced. Until I was a teenager, it was always just my mom and I. I never met my “dad”, not even from day one. I never was able to get to know him, or see him, but I did have a mom. I faced the odds of becoming the stereotypical kid with a single parent that went down the wrong path, but I never did. Life caused me to have a single mother that has made me the strong person that I am today.
Every mom needs support in their lives, and that include single moms. Some single moms are either in high school or in college. I know from experience that being in school, and trying to raise a child is not easy. Especially if the mother has no partner to help her; for example, a single mother raised me. My mother went through college, and raised me at the same time. Even though my mom had a little support, it was not easy to do two things at once.
Single moms face a challenge within their lives. Some mothers become single through divorce and while others become single outside of wedlock. However, there is no set age for a single mom. Statics states that most females become single moms before they finish high school and is receiving some type of government assistance for help. The average single mom has either dropped out of school or working a minimum paying job. Because of the high cost of living rate it is impossible for these single moms to provide a healthy life for their children. Therefore the Department of Human
In the United States, the so-called “nuclear family” is still considered the typical American family unit. However, in recent years the colloquial definition of a family has become more inclusive and accepting of those made up of gay parents, interracial parents, single parents, and even those who choose not to have children. Despite the general upward movement in positivity towards these different groups, a recent Pew Research poll has come to show that a good majority of Americans (approximately 70%) believe that one of these is inherently “bad for society”: single mothers (Conan 2011). This kind of attitude is not new, either; single mothers have continuously been viewed by society as lacking or incompetent, looked upon with disdain, ridiculed, and are often even cast aside by their own families. This stigma attached so firmly to these single mothers hurts deeper and more painfully than just as an emotional blow. Poverty is a huge concern for single mothers, and one could argue that society’s attitude towards single mothers is one of the root causes of this. The stigma against single mothers should be eradicated because it is largely based on misinformation, and single mothers already have to deal with blatant sexism and racism in the United States. To generate sympathy for these mothers and create a more welcoming society towards “alternative” family types such as theirs, an advertising campaign should be taken up to show the struggles these women go through along with
Given these points, being a single mother is not as effective as being a family with a mother and father. Being a single mother is harmful for a family because a child needs a father figure, it is too much stress on one person, and it is financially difficult to raise a family on one income. A parent’s most important job is for their children to be healthy and able to function in modern society. Why would you want to stack the odds against you children if you had a
woman. Vice versa, a man cannot teach a girl how to comb her hair properly, dress, or even the more personal aspects of a woman’s life. Although it has been done, outcomes are better when both parents are present. “Children raised in intact married families are more likely to attend college, are physically and emotionally healthier, are less likely to be physically or sexually abused, less likely to use drugs or alcohol and to commit delinquent behaviors, have a decreased risk of divorcing when they get married, are less likely to become pregnant/impregnate someone as a teenager, and are less likely to be raised in poverty” (Why Children Need Married Parents, 2015, Social Science on the Benefits that Marriage Provides to Children section,
During the years, single parent families have become a more common thing. This is starting to become a problem, because family dynamics can really influence a child’s life. According to studies it affects not only the child but the parents too.
Self defense in law revolves around the idea that, if necessary, an individual should be given the right to inflict damage upon another person to protect himself from bodily harm, and in some cases, to protect his property as well. In most countries today, the principle itself is not controversial at all – it is only logical that legal systems provide some sort of self defense protection for its citizens under certain situations. The true controversy stems from the amount of power that a victim should hold given a particular set of circumstances. Canada’s self defense laws prior to 2009 gave a minimal amount of power to victims. As a result, a large number of victims were charged for assault or other allegations because they had violated
Single parents are more likely to have greater financial problems than a married couple. Single parents who work don 't always have a family or a friend that can take care of their children 's. Therefore, daycare is the only option when the child is too young for school. The cost of day care may take up, up to half of your paycheck. It becomes more difficult when you include your everyday needs, for example rent/mortgage, medical bills, gas, groceries and normal bills. Single parents need to make sure they have enough money at the end of the month, however married couples have more of a straightforward path when it comes to all of this. For instance, when both parents work, their monthly income is considerably higher, giving them a further advantage when it comes to buying items, paying bills, and other necessities. In the scenario where only one person works, it allows the other to take care of their kid 's so they don 't have to pay for a sitter or daycare. Depending on the earned income of the single parent, this determines if they will get government assistance. Yet that still may not be enough , especially if they have more than one child, which in turn makes it difficult for their parents to meet their children needs. Most single parents don 't choose to be actively single. There 's even cases where the other parent doesn 't pay for child 's support, making the situation worse. To add to insult, the government may not agree to give you support , even knowing the
Being a single parent is an overwhelming task, nevertheless it yields greater benefits; with persistence and dedication. A strong bond is developed between the parent and the child/ children. It is a desire and heartbeat of everyone I to have a traditional family; wherein both the mother and father are fully involved in the lives of their children. In this all different roles and various levels of responsibilities are equally proportioned. There are times when as a single parent you encounter difficult moments; when performing tasks which should be handled by both parents especially those pertaining to gender. This research
Society has a different perspective over various aspects that determine society and to change that perspective means to provide something new and beneficial towards it. Socialization and equality has changed the perspective of single-parent mother from what it was within couple of years back from now. Single-mother used to be viewed from different perspectives, and were thought to be the burden for the whole society, whereas now, single-mother is known as independent and a capable citizen of a society. Not only equality but the strong persistence and commitment of the mother, to raise her child against the will of the society, has been the huge boost for this change. Socialization and increase in population of single-mother parent has positively changed the thinking of society where, once suppressed and portrayed as dependent on men, are now an independent individual giving hope to their society.