Single motherhood has been presented in all societies eventually due to different reasons. Single motherhood is not something we all envisage happening, but it does happen. Raising a child is inarguably the toughest job around and carrying out this great responsibility becomes far more burdensome when one has to do it alone - every day, day after day. (Aston & McLanahan, 1991)
Family structure may be a particularly important aspect of the different contexts that creates inequalities among women. Family structure refers to the intersection of marital and parental status in describing the composition of a household. The concept of family structure facilitates the development of theory concerning the experiences of a growing number of families headed by single mothers. (Avison, 1995) The
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The morality and advisability of single motherhood has long been debated more often than partnered mothers. (Obieke, 2013)
Families have a paramount importance for the development of children and their wellbeing in many ways. The family is the first socializing agent that the child comes into contact with. It has a great influence on the child’s physical, mental and moral development. The family also lays the foundation of education before the child goes to school and the personality that the child takes to school is determined by the home and the significant others who are found in it (Maduewesi and Emenogu, 1997).
Motherhood is challenging under the best of conditions. With single mothers, the challenges are multiplied. Single mother brings up her children without a partner. Compared to intact families, single motherhood is associated with a number of negative effects. In discussing consequences of single mothers, however, it should be recognized that single motherhood refers to a diverse category of
Did you know that more than one fourth of all children in the United States live with only one parent? Single parenting has become more common today than in the 1800s, when it was sometimes frowned upon. As the years have gone by, it has become easier and easier for women to become single parents. In the 1800’s if husbands died or abandoned their families, women had no choice but to work for extremely low and unfair wages. Today, most men and women are treated equal and receive equal wages making it easier for women to be single parents. This concept is shown in Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer through Aunt Polly in the 19th century, single parenting is also common today.
“With what price we pay for the glory of motherhood” (Isadora Duncan). In Defense of Single Motherhood, by Katie Roiphe, is an essay arguing why being a single mother is better than the traditional two parent method. Although Rophie has a moderate expression of ethos, her poor use of logos, and her struggle with pathos concludes this is a weak argument.
Children born to single or unwed parents causes serious problems and discussions not only within society, but also the welfare system. Becoming a parent seems to be one of the most beautiful things life has to offer to people. The laughter of children warms the heart like nothing else can, and the way their eyes light up when they receive something as small as a piece of candy reminds us all that the little things in life are the most important. However, children require time and money which often gets overlooked by many people. Raising a child with two married parents seems difficult enough, but today many people are having children out-of -wedlock which also seems to create more single parent homes and puts more pressure on that one parent who struggles to support the child. From 1960 to 2000, out-of-wedlock births grew by 600%
There is much debate on what constitutes as a family today. However, Ball (2002) states, “The concept of the traditional family…is not an immutable one. It is a social construct that varies from culture to culture and, over time, the definition changes within a culture” (pp. 68). There is a growing diversity of families today including the commonality of sole-parenting. In order to explore aspects of sole-parenthood objectively, I need to reflect and put aside my personal experience of growing up in sole-parent household. Furthermore, this essay will explore the historical origins, cultural aspects discussing the influences and implications of gender identity, and social structures of sole-parent families, as well as consider the
Socially and Emotionally the family is a big influence in a child’s development. Parents have a big role by providing care and guidance for their development. Unfortunately some families cannot promote the development of a child because of the conflict among the parents. A single parent can have difficulties in boosting a better development in children and young people, sometimes a child is separated from its siblings and this can affect them too.
“Single mothers face inexplicable social and religious challenges… due to the cultural stereotype and religious orientation” (Essien). Different religions and culture have their own set of beliefs and standards. However, this provides a reason behind the discrimination towards single parents, specifically, single mothers. “Motherhood is crucial to female identity, and women are perceived as natural reproducers, nurturers, mothers and wives… divorced and abandoned single mothers are sexually, economically and socially vulnerable” (Jordal). Diversion is seen as something is not an option for them. Therefore, single mothers are viewed as a disappointment to the society. Which created more opportunity for the discrimination to
Indeed, they help to explain why family structure is such an explosive issue for Americans. The debate about it is not simply about the social-scientific evidence, although that is surely an important part of the discussion. It is also a debate over deeply held and often conflicting values. How do we begin to reconcile our long-standing belief in equality and diversity with an impressive body of evidence that suggests that not all family structures produce equal outcomes for children? How can we square traditional notions of public support for dependent women and children with a belief in women's right to pursue autonomy and independence in childbearing and child-rearing? How do we uphold the freedom of adults to pursue individual happiness in their private relationships and at the same time respond to the needs of children for stability, security, and permanence in their family lives? What do we do when the interests of adults and children conflict? These are the difficult issues at stake in the debate over family structure.
Summary: Singles mother hurt themselves and children by trying to show society that they are strong and that they can survive by their own. This source show us how kids can be affected in a bad way because of their mother status. When those women decide to bring to the family a new integrant, kids get hurt with their emotional and in their academy life as shown in this quote “ The more “transitions” experienced by a child — the arrival of a stepparent, a parental boyfriend or girlfriend, or a step- or half sibling — the more children are likely to have either emotional or academic problems, or both.” (Hymowitz, 2014)
According to a recent study from CBS, the United States has the highest divorce rate of any country at 45%. Due to this high rate of divorce, many families find that there is an imbalance of family roles in these newly created single parent households. Being a single parent has its own set of challenges for the individual and creates challenges for the family such as, spending smaller amounts of time with your children, having an excessive work load and disrupting the wellbeing of the children.
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)
“I’m a working mother. You try to pay the bills, you try to keep your life going and there’s pressure” - Carnie Wilson. This is true for many of the mothers out there, single or married. It is even more true that all mothers face different types of stress. However, it seems that single mothers can experience higher degrees of stress than married mothers, with single mothers working hard on a daily basis. According to a study by the American Sociological Review, researchers found that single mothers can be more stressed than married mothers due to raising a child alone and other economic situations (Melnick). Through this, the answer can be pretty obvious: single mothers are more stressed than married mothers.
Thesis/Central Idea: To understand that there are many parents raising their children alone with no help at all. Many single parents have different circumstances that cause them to raise their children by themselves. Being a single parent is not easy there are good days and bad days and most single parents must make it through no matter what. Many single parents do not realize that their children are looking at them for the rest of their lives.
The life course theory is a theory of “life progression” through time of birth to death. The life course epidemiology is considered to be the study of long-term biological, behavioral, and psychological developments that brings the link between adult and the potential of disease risk as a result of physical or social exposures proceeding from conception, during childhood, adolescence, early adulthood or through generations (Nickitas, Middaugh, & Aries, 2010). Essentialy, the theory stipulates that biological and social components interact with each other to produce health conditions during an individual’s lifetime (Nickitas, Middaugh & Aries, 2010).
Population control is an idea that has been thrown around world-wide for years. One may wonder what population control would even mean for its partakers. As one researches population control, many different viewpoints are found. There are the viewpoints of those who are oblivious to the struggles an economy will be forced to face if population control is not put into effect; then, there are others who recognize the responsibility they have to care for their country the way it has cared for them for centuries. Without population control, not only will the economy fail, but there will be world-wide struggles. These struggles seem unfathomable at America’s current peak of economic success; however, soon they will be a reality if one does not take action quickly.
According to Merriam-Webster, character is “The group of qualities that make a person, group, or thing different from others.” Character is the way a person reasons, feels, and acts. It is a state of being and not doing. The choices and decisions that are made when no one is watching typically exemplifies the real you. Most of us tend to make better decisions when others are watching to protect our reputations. For some reason, we want people to think of us in a certain manner; therefore, we behave the way others think we should. I personally know people that act a certain way when others are watching, but behind closed doors they are a completely different person. This is hypocritical behavior. A hypocrite is a person that says one thing and does another. Often times, their words are not consistent with their actions and deeds. A person of integrity will be who they are regardless of where they are and who they are with. They will not change. If you want to test a person’s character, just observe how they treat the people whom they have authority or advantage over.