Social Problems Final

1227 Words3 Pages

In the situation of a single parent woman it would be difficult if not impossible for this parent to financially provide for herself and child on a minimum wages. The major components of their survival would be to meet the essential needs of providing shelter, food, clothing, and health insurance. If the parent is working a day job there would be the need for an afterschool program or the child staying with family. If the parent had a 2nd or 3rd shift she would also need to set up alternative care for the child. This parent would need a strong network of family and friends to overcome the obstacles she might face. A single parent would have to decide what the best mode of transportation is whether it is public transportation or a used vehicle with no car payments. She could opt to take public transportation it would cost $48.00 monthly. If the child is ill and needs to see a doctor and be taken out of school public transportation would not be a workable plan because of the travel time needed. In the case that one gets ill this would take her away from her employment and might even sacrifice her secured position. This person would have to acquire a used vehicle with no car payment and keep up with the mechanical service and repairs which could cost anywhere from $500-$1,000 yearly and car insurance which could run from $700 - $1,000 yearly. In some cases, with a child that is ten-years old a parent may choose to have the child come home and be alone after school. This is considered a “latch key kid” where the child will stay home alone until the parent gets home. There are some parents that don’t have any other choices but to leave the child alone. Children growing up in this era are given much more responsibility at too early o... ... middle of paper ... ... strategies a single parent will come up with could benefit the family or put them in a mountain of debt. I have seen the food prices soar over the years but our pay never seem to catch up to the true cost of living. The state of the economy is especially hurting the people with a low income because they are most vulnerable to higher costs. In Worcester, MA the only option a single parent would have to living on their own on minimum wage is to get services in place such as housing, Mass Health, food stamps and also can go to a food pantry to supplement the food allotment. It’s imperative to have a plan before you set out and make major changes in your life. Even if there was a roommate involved it would be difficult to sustain the standard of living. Even in the best case of making it on minimum wage this person would also still need a strong network for support.

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