Single-Parent Families: Trends & Implications - Paper Example

Introduction

For many years, Western societies have witnessed an increase in single-parent families. Among them, many have been having a result of divorce. A high percentage of the married population is applying for divorce due to social problems and would like to live single lives. A single parent is the custodian parent of one or more children who has become single for reasons such as separation, divorce, desertion, or through widow or widower. On the other hand, dual parenting families are where both parents contribute to raising their children. Studies carried out in the US have found that single parenthood is the most stressful life that affects the parents and children. However, families with both parents have their challenges. I shall be looking at the "differences between the single and dual-parent families, and the effects of single parenting on children on the experience of the parent or schools and communities."

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Single parents may be due to the death of a spouse, abandonment, divorce, or choice. The road to a single parent may be difficult, but every parent should aim to offer caring and nurturing surroundings for their children (Crouch et al. 501). A single parent, either a mother or a father, should help their children become strong and independent adults in the future. Single parenting life is filled with obstacles like hurt, grief, sadness, rejection and loneliness, insecurity, and depression, especially if financial problems accompany it. It means that the children may experience similar feelings if faced with normal challenges as they grow. However, time and support from friends and family members help them to overcome the obstacles.

In the United States, one in every two children comes from single-parent families before 18 years old, where they live with either their father or mother (Crouch et al. 499). The number of single-parent families is increasing from 1970 to date. Earlier, divorce was the major factor for single-parent families, but today, other contributing factors include the death of one partner and being single by choice. The common type of single parenting consists of a mother and her kids, among the single-parent families. Many are headed by mothers who opt to live single after divorce or death of the partner while others opt to live their lives as single with their children. However, the households headed by single fathers have been increasing sing 2000. Unlike single mothers, single fathers are likely to have been married and have divorced than never have been married. It is also believed that they are likely to be cohabiting with adults females though they are living with their children.

Differences between Single Parent and Dual Parents Families

Children from single-parent families experience cognitive and social-emotional stress if their parents are jobless than children from dual-parent families. Kids from single-parent families are mostly stressed by the issues that concern finances as they grow (Gallet et al. 282). As a result, they end up performing poorly in their academics. They also have poor socializing skills that affect them negatively in the future. Due to the increase of joblessness among single-parent families in Australia, the government has come up with various initiatives to support them and gain employment to effectively take care of their children (Gallet et al. 283). The government aimed to connect parents with their children using local activities that will help them build their confidence and skills and network them to create future jobs. The government aims at positively engaging the jobless single-parent families. Joblessness among single-parent families leads to poverty. For that reason, the government aims to focus on development initiatives that would eliminate the recurring issue of unemployment among single parents. First, it aims at helping young parents that would ensure they educate the young parents so that in the end, they will be able to help their children (Gallet et al. 284). In this case, any young and single parent will be able to help their children have a better life. The government also aims to support jobless families through pre-employment pilot programs that would help them curb convocational barriers, hence improving their employment. The single-parent will develop economic security after securing employment to help them live at peace with their children.

Research on risk-taking behavior shows that children raised by both parents have low levels of engaging in risks activities. It means that children who come from both parents are at low levels of engaging in substance abuse. They are less likely to participate in such behaviors as smoking, alcohol drinking, and other drug abuse. Moreover, they are less likely to be sexually active at a tender age (Crouch et al. 501). It is also discovered that when they are engaged in relationships, they have romantic relationships that tend to last longer than children raised in single-parent families. More so, kids from dual parenting families start their own families when they are older than single-parent families.

Kids living with both parents are more likely to have better health than the kids from a single parent. Based on the survey carried out in 2003 concerning children's health, children living with their two biological parents were healthier than those living with their grandparents and single parents (Morissens 359). Children raised by their two parents have got good bodily and dental fitness. They have got fewer or no harms that would require health care. These kids have good health because they are less affected by such conditions as asthma and recurrent headaches. These children are not expected to miss school classes due to illness than children from single-parent families.

The Effects of Single Parenting on Children, on The Experience of The Parent or Schools and Communities.

Children from single-parent families have got difficulties relating to their immediate environment. They have a poor relationship with their neighbors in the community. Mostly they suffer from withdrawal and do not to relate freely with their age mates in the city. In most cases, they feel insecure and have no trust with the people surrounding their development world (Crouch et al. 504). The only person they trust is the right guardian who takes care of them and whom they had known since they were young. However, boys who have been raised by their fathers tend to like older females for the lack of their motherly love. On the other hand, girls who have been living with their single mothers tend to feel secure with their older males.

Parenthood in single-parent families is itself very challenging. Living a single life in society is very tasking, especially for parents who have denied their partners by death. In this case, there is always a communication breakdown between children and their parents. The parents stop communicating with their children because they try to protect them from more hurt. As a result, these children feel more and more confused, and they develop poor communication patterns within the family members (Gallet et al. 285). In this case, it is suitable for a single parent to be open to their children and tell them that it is not their responsibility for their parents to be single. Other parents withdrawal from their normal lives and engages in drug abuse when their partners leave them. Children from such families live a disorganized life where they might not get their basic needs. The parents have no or little time to take care of their children that would make children suffer emotionally. Children from such families find it difficult to fit in society, and if care is not taken, they become criminals.

Despite the many challenges from single-parent families, children can learn and grow well from single-parent homes. The kids from these families have an abundant opportunity to contribute positively to their families and learn about their abilities and worthiness. Single parents do have the responsibility of providing a happy family by ensuring that their children are living a happy life (Gallet et al. 287). Parents should view their single life as an opportunity to learn new experiences that will help them lead in a positive manner for their children to imitate them. Single-parents should show an optimistic attitude to their children to have a more hopeful outlook that will help them cope with the situation. For example, children who have been living with both parents but later the parents separated due to divorce or death. The lives of these children change drastically and would regularly need special attention to help them change the lifestyles. It can be achieved by allowing children the freedom of how they feel openly. Under many circumstances, other family members of the victim may offer assistance and support where need be. (Gallet et al. 288). Communicating with the children will help clarify doubts in their minds and help create a good communicating forum with people surrounding them. Kids will stop speculations after they have got all the truth on why their parents are living single lives. In the end, children will be able to be independent, respectful, and more to that, build confidence within themselves in a single-parent family.

Conclusion

The single- parent is the custodian parent of one or more children who has become single for reasons such as separation, divorce, desertion, or through widow or widower and opts not to remarry. A single parent should be able to help their children become strong and independent adults in the future trough advice and communicating to them freely about their singleness. It helps children to stop speculation of unanswered questions. It also helps them to be independent, respectful, and build confidence within themselves. Children from single-parent families have an abundant opportunity to contribute positively to their families and learn abilities and worthiness in the family instead of being pessimistic about their situation of being single.

Works Cited

Crouch, Simon Robert, Ruth McNair, and Elizabeth Waters. "Impact of family structure and sociodemographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in samesex parent families: A crosssectional survey." Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 52.5 (2016): 499-505.

Gallet, Wilma; Laufer, Ary. Australian Journal of Public Administration. Jun2019, Vol. 78 Issue 2, p281-289. 9p. DOI: 10.1111/1467-8500.12344

Morissens, Ann. "The role of universal and targeted family benefits in reducing poverty in singleparent families in different employment situations." The triple bind of single-parent families (2018): 359.