“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 to 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.
Throughout the years, the percentage
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In a study from Lipman, it was found that single mother often has lower income levels and education, which contributes to their depression. Furthermore, many reasons why single mothers have depression is due to financial hardship, unemployment, lack of social support, and the sole responsibility for the care of a child from Hope et al. While some single mothers are more likely to have full-time employment than married mothers, the time spent on a full-time job can be an important risk for depression from Brown and Moran. Other explanations for a single mother's depression from Barker/North, Dorsett, Shouls, and Slahpush, are major health problems including smoking, overuse of alcohol, and long-term illnesses, which can also worsen the mother’s financial situation. Additionally, a National Population Health Survey measured by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview by Cairney showed that single mothers have a higher 12-month commonness of major depression (15.4%) than married mothers (6.8%). (Wang Li). The situations that put stress of single mothers can not only lead to home, but can also greatly affect their …show more content…
A student from Western Michigan University found that children from single-parent homes have a strong parent to child communication system with a network of community support, and increasing levels of independence (Barajas). Other studies have shown even if single mothers don't have spouse to deal with extra weight, the mother has a community around them to help; and they can join community groups such as church groups and single parent support groups (Wolf). If not the community, the mother’s child can help carry some of the responsibilities. However, sometimes these community groups aren't available to many single mothers and their kids may be too young to aid their mother´s problems. Additionally, these benefits don't outweigh the stresses that are already to put on the single mother's shoulders; and certain situations can leave the mother dwelling on them instead of receiving the relief that they
In today’s society, the amounts of single-parent households are increasing and this is another reason for the existence of childhood poverty. Statistics show that children living in single-parent homes are five times more likely to be poor. More people are getting divorced and are also having children outside of wedlock. It has also been said that women rather than men head about 90% of single-parent families. One of the
Single mothers’ needs may be comprised of employment, education, shelter, food, child care and assistance with medical and child support. In some cases counseling and a support resource may be all that is required. When a divorce occurs, the needs which were once met by a two parent family now rest on the shoulders of ... ... middle of paper ... ... grant: background and funding.
Children in single parent homes live very complicated lifestyles and will often grow up with many hardships. Single parent homes are becoming normal in today’s society and are beginning to outnumber nuclear two parent families. Being a single parent is hard when it comes to balancing a job, money, a place to live and on top of that raising a child. The struggles of the parent takes an enormous toll on the child with lifelong effects.
In the trajectory of humanity, single parenting has become a concept internationally accepted by most modern cultures. What exactly causes single parenthood? Well there are many factors in which could result in a single parent household. Death of a partner, divorce, and unintended pregnancy are just some of the causes of single parenthood. Based on this worldwide acknowledgement and understanding, single parenthood is usually aided by monetary help from the government or unions. Although financial help is available, the psychological effects a child goes through could never be fixed by any type of cash value. These psychological traumas and mental changes could affect the parent raising the child as well. Even with some financial help, single parents sometimes struggle to make ends meet. A study featured in Time magazine informed Americans that middle to lower class single parents will work 40+ hour weeks at minimum wage to provide for their child. If the parent is so busy at work, who's watching the child? Sometimes, the single parent might still have connection with their own families. Grandma and grandpa have to raise the child since the parent is hard at labor to provide for their offspring. Occasionally, some of our elderly folk do not have the competence to watch over a child. It might even be that the child is too energetic and could wear out the seniors. The child will then resort to the television, street, friends, etc to learn and grow. These influences might be negative for the child especially if they're not coming from the mother or father. An investigation of single parenting leads to the affirmation that raising a child by yourself is very difficult and must be approached very leniently and effectively.
What is a single parent? Is it one who destroys their child’s life? Is it one who ultimately cannot raise a minor on their own? Or is it one who dedicates their lives to the well being of their kid? Imagine a parent, and for whatever reason they were left alone to raise a child. That parent you imagined has to work long hours just to put a meal on the table. That parent has to play the role of the mother and father. That parent has no financial support. Unfortunately, in our society, this image of a single parent is looked down upon. There are people that don’t realize how much a single parent goes through to give their child a better life.
When couples become parents, the first thing on their minds should be on how they will work as a team. Most parents will never choose to parent alone unless it was necessary. According to Zartler (2014), single-parenting has been a strongly pronounced trend in family behavior. Many families are single-parenting households. There are a lot of reasons that can cause a household to become a single-parenting household, and the most common reason is divorce. Most marriages just do not work out and this can cause a lot of stress within the family. There is a lot of hardships that can come with divorce including financial risks. Also, how the children will react can be hard as well. Most parents who are single parents can have a harder time dealing with the financial costs then parents that are married. There can definitely be negative impacts on single-parenting
Worobey, A. R. and J.L. (1988) Single Motherhood and Children’s Health, Journal of Health and Social Behavior
The reduced earnings of women have an impact on 7.4 million households run by single working women. Over two point one million families consisting of working single mothers were considered poor. An added two point four million working single mothers were severely struggling to barely make ends meet. They were falling between 100 and 200 pe...
Single parenthood culture seems appealing to many married people. However, married individuals are forced to battle with elements like faithfulness and life-long commitment to one individual, which may be boring in some cases. However, single parents, especially single mothers encounter serious challenges related to parenting. Single parenting is a succession of constant mental torture because of ineptness, self-scrutiny, and remorse. At some point, single parents will often encounter serious psychological problems some graduating to stress and eventual depression. Again, there are far-reaching problems that force single mothers to a set of economic or social hardships. Social hardships are evident as address in this research.
The Family structure has changed significantly in the last fifty years. With higher percentages of marriage ending in divorce, and higher rates of childbearing out of wedlock, single parent families are increasing rapidly. “Seventy percent of all the children will spend all or part of their lives in a single-parent household.” (Dowd) Studies have shown that the children of these families are affected dramatically, both negatively and positively. Women head the majority of single- parent families and as a result, children experience many social problems from growing up without a father. Some of these problems include lack of financial support, and various emotional problems by not having a father around, which may contribute to problems later in life. At the same time, children of single-parent homes become more independent because they learn to take care of themselves, and rely on others to do things for them.
Being a single mother is not an easy feat. Raising children alone and in broken homes has proven to be difficult for women across the globe. These difficulties seem to multiple when single mother hood takes place in an African American household. Why does this happen? Is it self-inflicted or is there something deeper going on in the mind of the black women that subconsciously leads some to end up being single black mothers? I seek to better understand the dynamic of single black motherhood from a psychological and sociological perspective. Looking at the works of womanist theologians, a solution to this hardship will hopefully arise.
One of the hardest issues to survive in, as a single parent, is an overwhelming emotion that you should complete the role of both mother and father. This feeling evolves and will be more intense if the other single parent is not portraying a role that is active with the children.
Is being a single mother a the most inspiring, difficult, demanding, and rewarding job in the that a person can have? I always looked up to my mother as a loving and caring inspiration to me and others who she came in contact with. Even though I always looked at my mother as a role model she is not perfect, I watched her make mistakes such as abusing prescription medication she received due to an injury, spend money irresponsibly, and procrastinate time and time again. My family has battled hardship, adversity, and lack from the time I was old enough to realize what was happening in the world around me. A mother’s actions in life can leave permanent impressions on her children. I have adopted good and bad habits from my mother. I also learned from her mistakes which made me the person I am today. When I was young she was my inspiration because of the good moral character she possessed. Now that I have seen some of the negative and bad decisions that she made affect her life and everyone that lives with her I strive to do the opposite and make good life changing decisions such as eliminating procrastination and staying away from drugs. A person, especially a mother can be defined by their actions during these tough times. My mother has always been the most
The workforce can be a hard place, but for single mothers, it seems to be a much more threatening area. Women have been turned down from a job for being a single mother and some women have even been fired from a job for being pregnant without a husband to help support the baby. Single mothers have also been bullied at their work. Coworkers will taunt them about having spouses and a relaxed family to go home to that is run by two adults. Once single mothers get a job, they have a risk of losing it. They have no one to take care of her chil...
Antonia M. Essien and Agapetus A. Bassey (2012) emphasized that the value of the traditional nuclear family structure of men, women and children is fast eroding, resulting in alternative family forms such as a single motherhood among others. In their opinion, single motherhood is a universal phenomenon and the reasons for single motherhood vary greatly across the nation, ranging from personal choices to involuntary circumstances. They further advocated that there is need for the entire society to focus more on the attitudinal change and social orientation towards single mothers.