Effects of Single Parenting Essay
Growing up I was always taught that the ideal composition for a family had to include both a mother, a father, and then the children. But what happens when it doesn’t quite end up that way for whatever reason? A lot of studies have shown that single parenting has a lot of impactful effects on both the children and the parents. These families are no longer known as non-traditional families, they are all around us today. The U.S. Census Bureau stated that 30 percent of American families are headed by only one parent.
The first major effect of single parenthood is trying to stay financially stable. Finances cause a lot of problems and for single parents that could be their worst nightmare. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that a middle-income family on average may spend $226,920 to raise a child born in 2010 to the age of 18 (Bjerga). That’s almost a quarter of a million dollars and for one single parent to have all those financial responsibilities, that can cause a lot of stress and tension on both the parent and the child/children. In the article, Poverty, Single-Parent Households, and Youth At-Risk Behavior: An Empirical Study, Dalton Gargs explains that with a low-income family, comes with problems such as lower education levels, lower economic achievement and can even cause the child/children feeling isolated and lonely. Single moms typically have lower-paying jobs, making it really hard to provide for their family. (“Facts About Single Parent Families”)
The second major effect of single-parenting is the quality of the parenting. As mentioned before, single parents often have to work more therefore they are left with less hours to spend with their children. What happens to the children when their parents have to work so much? They are supervised less and that can lead into a world of possibilities for the child and the trouble they could find themselves facing. Also, when the children grow up without one of what’s supposed to be an important
The first major effect of single parenthood is trying to stay financially stable. Finances cause a lot of problems and for single parents that could be their worst nightmare. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that a middle-income family on average may spend $226,920 to raise a child born in 2010 to the age of 18 (Bjerga). That’s almost a quarter of a million dollars and for one single parent to have all those financial responsibilities, that can cause a lot of stress and tension on both the parent and the child/children. In the article, Poverty, Single-Parent Households, and Youth At-Risk Behavior: An Empirical Study, Dalton Gargs explains that with a low-income family, comes with problems such as lower education levels, lower economic achievement and can even cause the child/children feeling isolated and lonely. Single moms typically have lower-paying jobs, making it really hard to provide for their family. (“Facts About Single Parent Families”)
The second major effect of single-parenting is the quality of the parenting. As mentioned before, single parents often have to work more therefore they are left with less hours to spend with their children. What happens to the children when their parents have to work so much? They are supervised less and that can lead into a world of possibilities for the child and the trouble they could find themselves facing. Also, when the children grow up without one of what’s supposed to be an important