The Psychological Detriment of Single Parenting

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Fifty years ago, the typical American family included a mother, father and their children. However today, “One in every four children in the United States are being raised by a single parent. Experts point to a variety of factors to explain the high US figure including a cultural shift toward greater acceptance of single parent rearing.”(Armario). As these numbers continue to rise due to modern day ideas and the increasing divorce rate, the children of single parents struggle. “Today 41% of all births were to unmarried women.”(Hymowitz). Single parent families have a detrimental effect on the psychological development of children because single parent families lack financial stability and quality parenting, in addition to lacking a stress free environment. According to the 2012 Census Bureau report, in 2012 the average household family income was around $51,017 dollars a year. The income is nearly split in half for the income of a single parent. Single parents are often financially unstable, decreasing opportunity and lifestyle quality for their children. “The single mother lives with the competing priorities of earning money and providing caring services to their children” (Bronnimann). To provide some aid to single parents, the government requires for the noncustodial parent to pay what is known as Child Support. Child support is a payment that the noncustodial parent must pay to make up for the financial costs he or she would need to contribute to the child or children to support their lifestyle. However often times the noncustodial parent does not earn a large enough income to pay a significant amount of child support. In some cases the noncustodial parent may be unemployed and unable to contribute at all. Children coming fr... ... middle of paper ... ...hips of a single parent family. One in every four children come from a broken home. Works Cited Armario, Christine . "1 in 4 Children in US Raised by a Single Parent." Associated Press : n.p.. Print. Bronnimann, Salome . "The Stress of Single Mothers and its Effect on Quality Child Care." The Master's College URJHS Volume 7 (): n. page. Print. Friedrich, Liz. "The Cost to Children." Understanding Social Issues: Divorce. New York, NY: Gloucester Press, 1988. . Print. Hymowitz, Kay S.. "Broken Homes, Broken Boys." Los Angeles Times : p. A.15. Print. Hymowitz, Kay S.. "The Single Mom Mess." Los Angeles Times 1 Jan. 2012: A.26. Print. Thompson, Victoria . "The Disadvantages of Being a Single Parent & Raising a Child." Everyday Life. Demand Media, n.d. Web. 1 Jan. 2014.

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