Parenting is an oddly cold, even generic, word. It is perhaps the product of a politically correct world, meant to encompass both "mothering" and "fathering (Grant)". Single parent means a person who has a dependent child or dependent children and who is widowed, divorced, or unmarried ("Single Parent."). The disruption of families has a harmful effect on the children. Single parenting is gradually taking over our society in terms of marriage. Single parenting has produced successful individuals but that does not mean they are not facing problems that needs the help of the society. Single parenting can have both negative and positive influence on the development of a child depending on the parent involved.
Parenting is meant to be a collaborative effort, the life's work of at least two people (Grant) of different gender. An alternative way in which fatherless families can be formed is when lesbian women become mothers, either singly or with a female partner (Yarber and Paul). The normal component of a family is the father, mother and the children. The role a male in the life of a child is different from that of a female. No matter how much the male actor of the lesbian tries to act like a male, she can never be a true male figure to the child. That is more or less like another form of single-parenting in terms of gender role.
When one is single, the hardest job in the world gets exponentially harder (Grants).Single parents, especially mothers who work full time do not get chance to spend quality time with their children. Parents need to spend time to get to know their children better by giving them attention. When children begin to come to terms with the fact that their parents will not be available attention-wise, they begi...
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Grant, Tracy. "The single parent faces a multitude of challenges." The Washington Post 22 Sept. 2011: T17. Print.
Rincover, Dr. Arnold. "Single-parenting is not a hopeless task." HCC Library Login. Version 2nd Edition. The Toronto Star, 25 Aug. 1990. Web. 22 Apr. 2014
Rosenthal, Sarah Simms. "The Absent Father." The Unavailble Father. Unted States of America: Jossey- Bass, 2010. 105. Print.
"Single Parent." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Sun, Herald. "Baby Makes Two." HCC Library Login. N.p., 10 Jan. 2001. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Yarber, Annice D., and Paul M. Sharp. "Children Raised in Fatherless Families from Infancy: A Follow Up of Children of Lesbian and Single HeterosexualMothers at Early Adolescence." Focus on Single- Parent Families. Fiona Macallum and Susan Golombok ed. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger, 2010. 43. Print.
This academic journal written by Timothy J. Biblarz and Judith Stacey is to attack the well-known idea of children needing both a mother and father role in their household. Biblarz is an associate professor of sociology and gender studies at the University of Southern California, while Stacey is also a professor of sociology at New York University, formerly working alongside Biblarz. Both are very passionate about gender, family, and sexuality studies, mainly emphasizing the effects of same-sex parenting. Stacey wrote the novel, Unhitched, which diminishes the popular belief about different gender parenting from her experiences. Biblarz and Stacey conduct a very detailed research study on both same-sex households, as well as heterosexual households to see what the similarities and differences are. Throughout this journal, the two conclude that children do not need a mother and father figure to function properly, as they are just as well off, if not better, with lesbian or gay parents.
Bos, H. M., Van Balen, F., & Van den Boom, D. C. (2007). Child adjustment and parenting in planned lesbian-parent families. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77, 38-48. doi:
In recent years, gay and lesbian parenting has been a discussion of huge debate across the nation. It’s a subject with such heated conversation like that of, politics. This has also been in the interest of many studies, about how it effects a child raised by that of a two males or two females. Among other debates that involve gay and lesbian couples such as, gay marriage or gay rights. These rights have often been taken for granted by many of Americans, but while gay and lesbians are denied most of these rights. The three biggest factors that are talk about in the parenting of children by gay and lesbian parents is that of; A child needs both a mother and a father to be properly raised, a family is a male, female, and children and last and one of the most talked about is the negative effects it has on the child as they grow up and face the world with two openly homosexual parents; a “mom” and “dad. While I believe that every gay and lesbian person should be able to raise a family, just as any other person; I do have a fear for the child’s well-being, simply because of the society we live in today and the crude criticism they may face.
...nder roles that lack this maternal instinct. Culturally fathers are perceived to be the “bread-winners” and be more involved in playing with children, whereas mothers are often involved in the daily care of children, such as feeding and bathing children. Although women are commonly the head of sole-parent families, the Ministry of Social Development state that there is a growing rate of sole-parent fathers accounting for 14% of all sole-parents with dependent children in 1986 rising to 17% in 2006 (2010). It is evident that single-mother parenting is different to single-father parenting; however the rising rate of single-fathers suggests that the stigma of gender roles in sole-parenting is on the rise towards equality.
In David Blankenhorn’s book written in 1995, he brings to light what he calls “America’s fundamental problem”: our culture of fatherlessness. Our modern day view of fathers is that they are unnecessary both in society and in the upbringing of a child. Blankenhorn argues the contrary: the only way to solve the multitude of social problems present in America is to address the common denominator, the decline of fathers and the shrinking importance of fatherhood. Blankenhorn’s book is split into three parts: Part I: Fatherlessness, Part II: The Cultural Script and Part III: Fatherhood. In Fatherlessness, he provides the history of fatherhood and includes statistics that help to illustrate the transition of the father from head of the household to being “almost entirely a Sunday institution” (pg. 15).
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.
A single parent many times has so many responsibilities that they just can’t be good at all of it. A job, bills, chores, errands, appointments, activities, it all just becomes too much for a single-parent and something always seems to get the short end of the stick. Usually it is the small things that make a child feel special.
Single Parent Struggle For many years, children growing up in a single parent family have been viewed as different. Being raised by only one parent seems impossible to many yet over the decades it has become more prevalent. In today’s society many children have grown up to become emotionally stable and successful whether they had one or two parents to show them the rocky path that life bestows upon all human beings. The problem lies in the difference of children raised by single parents versus children raised by both a mother and a father.
Whether a created family is from previous heterosexual relationships, artificial insemination, or adoption, it deserves the same legal rights heterosexual families enjoy. Full adoption rights needs to be legalized in all states to provide a stable family life for children because sexual orientation does not determine parenting skills, children placed with homosexual parents have better well-being than those in foster care, and there are thousands of children waiting for good homes. The argument sexual orientation interferes with ones parenting skills is common belief that Charlotte J. Patterson identifies as myth in her work, Lesbian and Gay Parents and their Children, suggesting the belief that “lesbians’ and gay men’s relationships with sexual partners leave little time for ongoing parent–child interactions.” In the Who is Mommy tonight? case study, how 18 lesbian adoptive parents, 49 lesbian parents who formed their families biologically, and 44 heterosexual adoptive parents experience and perceive their parenting role, how they respond when their children seek them or their partner for particular nurturing, and how the parents negotiate the cultural expectation of a primary caregiver (Ciano-Boyce & Shelley-Sireci, 2002) is looked at.
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.
Worobey, A. R. and J.L. (1988) Single Motherhood and Children’s Health, Journal of Health and Social Behavior
Since the 1970s, studies on the effect of same-sex parenting on children have been conducted in the United States. Sociological debates have occurred from the idea of allowing same-sex couples to parent. Some groups feel that allowing this would undermine the traditional ideology of marriage and skew the perception of gender roles for their children. Sociologists continue to produce empirical research that studies samples of the approximately 125,000 same-sex couples raising nearly 220,000 children and comparing their roles as parents and the adult personalities of their children to children raised by heterosexual couples. Current scientific research comparing the outcomes of children raised by gay or lesbian parents with children of heterosexual parents consistently shows that same-sex parents are just as capable of raising “psychologically healthy and well-adjusted” children as heterosexual parents. Research comparing children raised by same-sex couples and heterosexual couples found no differences in the adjustment or mental health of these children as adults.
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.
11 Dec. 2011. Roman, Nicolette Vanessa. " Maternal Parenting In Single And Two-Parent Families
As a child of a single parent household. I have first hand experience on the affects of having only one parent to not only take care of me but also show me and teach me about life and the correct choices that I should make in my life to better myself. Parenting is hard enough but parenting by yourself as a single parent is nearly impossible. You want to do everything for your kid to have a flawless life but the unfortunate news is that you can’t give them everything. Along the lines of helping your child in life as a single parent you are