Single Mothers in America

In today’s society it is not unusual to have a one-parent family with a young mother in charge. Teen mothers having children has increased so much over the years that it’s now a common occurance. Being a young single mother in today’s society is challenging but with the help of government assistance single mothers are finding their way.

The government provides help for single mothers through a variety of welfare programs. Welfare programs provide benefits to single mothers with low income - income so low that it is not possible to support a family.

Welfare helps with all childcare needs. They give the young mother food stamps for shopping at the grocery store and earned income tax credit. They play a big roll in helping these young mother collect child support from the absentee fathers. Although they have had a lot of trouble in finding jobs for these young mothers because they only have a high school diploma they always manage to find something. They try to help these young mothers who don’t still live with their parents find an apartment. After welfare has helped them find work they do not stop helping then. They continue giving money and other needs for a mother and her child. “Welfare helps with child care to 60% of American families with children, which proves how many single parent families we have.”(Bergman et al)

The United States Government provides healthcare for a mother and her child before and after her baby has arrived. When the child starts school or day care the government provides school health services. Just recently the government has begun to pay for the hospital care for the birth of her baby, if and only if she has no family to help her pay for it.

When the child becomes older these mother and their children are fortunate enough to have the government also pay for psychiatric guidance if needed. An absentee father figure in the home brings about a chain reaction of dilemmas. Many children tend to be effected mentally because these powerful emotions have the potential to do permanent damage in a child’s life. Children may experience sadness and depression, aggressive behavior, frequent illness, difficulty in school and eating or sleeping disorders. Some children may also suffer from various social difficulties and self esteem problems that can come along with having only one parent. Females who grow up without fathers in th...

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...n there are only the options of dead-end jobs, jail, or early death. Most children who are born in to this world by a young teenage mother often have their own children at a young age too.

The reality of single mothers in America in 2005 allows for assistance from the government but does not change the statistical reality of the outcome for the children without the fathers influence. So in conclusion, fathers need to be an apparent influence in order for children to have more security about themselves.

Bibiography

1. Bergmann, Barbra, R; Hartment, Heidi I. “A Program to Help Working Parents.”

Nation Master File Premier on line ebsco publishing 27 March 2002 ehost/longing.html>

2. D’Amoto, Luisa “Single Mothers Spend Less Time With Kids” Toronto Star pg. Li14 Newspaper Source Ebsco Publishing 27 March, 2002 ehost/login.hml>

3. “Family Health Care” Encyclopedia Britannica on line, 1994-2000 25,march, 2002

4. Glarion, Suzan “Single Parents Need More Flexibility at Work.”

Daily camera, 8 February 2002: Newspaper Source Ebsco Publishing 27 March, 2002 < http:// www. Epneticom. />ehost / login. Html>

5. Leigh Thawley. Personal interview. 14 March 2002