It has been a massive change in the ways American citizens view and live their lives. These changes resulting in both good and bad repercussions. One of the changes includes the changing face of the “American family”. Single parenting families is one of those many faces. By definition, single-parent families are families with a child or children under the age of eighteen years old, raised by a parent who is widowed, divorced, or a parent that was never married. A two-parent household is on the decline in the United States of America as divorce, commitment issues and cohabitation is on the rise. In addition families are becoming smaller, primarily due to the growth of single-parent households and the declining in fertility. Not only are American people having less children, but the occurrence surrounding parenthood has changed drastically . In the early 1960s babies were typically conceived and born within a marriage, in today’s society 4 in 10 births occur to women who are single or living with a partner in which they aren’t married to.
A significant concern of the single parent, irregardless of ethnicity or reasons for the parents single status, is financial and/or economic. For the African American population, the currency of an unmarried, female, single and the head of the household families without support from the father has led to stereotypes. When it comes to Caucasians, many of the single parent households is the result of a divorce and have less emphasis on the financial benefaction of the absent parent. Oftenly, when a single parent raises a child/children alone, it’s distinguished as a broken family. This can result in discrimination and misunderstanding. However, the number of single-parent families have grown swiftly over the years, and is expected to continue to increase. Since 1970, the number of children living in a single family has doubled (Pew Research 1960 and 1980).
It can become difficult for children of single parent families to endure the negative stereotypes and rude comments made by other children whose situation does not mask theirs, so often they may need the support of teachers, neighbors, extended family, and/or friends. This type of support can be really helpful to the single-parent since its vital that they must focus on being fully and financially able to support their family. Ideall, a single-parents should be able to maintain a positive attitude and consider all the virtues of being a single parent.
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Virtues such as their new found liberty and autonomy. It is easier for a single parent to set rules and and boundaries without the interference of another parent who may not exercise the same parenting skills as they do As single-parent it is also important that they set rules and boundaries between themselves and the child/children. Many times, single parents allow their children to have too much power which can result in more difficulty for the single parent and put a stain on the families relationship.
Children will usually experience short and/or long-term economic and emotional obstacles, which results in increased absent rates at school, lower level of education, and increase dropout rates. Besides all of that, children will engage in more delinquent activity, such as using alcohol and drugs. In addition, a child/children in single-parent families are usually more likely to suffer emotionally, due to their parents splitting or another reason. In the future, once children who were raised in single-parent families become adults, they are likely to marry early, have children early, and end up divorcing.
Overall, the changes in the “American family” way has changed over the years in many ways. Although there are many disadvantages when it comes to single-parent homes, there is no one way to raise a family.
