Single Parent Households Essay Example

and late twenties.There was also an increase in the birth rate of single mothers during the same period which saw the number of children in single parent households’ rise significantly. The plight of single parents varies across races, ethnicity, age as well as the cause for single parenthood. Young single mothers and fathers from minority races like Hispanics are more likely to encounter financial problems as opposed to older single mothers and fathers from other races for instance the whites.

Bornstein in ‘the handbook of parenting’ noted that gender differences have a role to play in determining the effectiveness of how single parent households raised their children. He pointed out that single parent fathers have child rearing problems when raising their daughters as most failed to understand their needs especially at the puberty stage. The impact of single parenthood also differed across gender lines. Girls seemed to be more or rather adversely affected by the marital status of their parents.Unlike boys from single parent households’ girls registered increased rates of being less sociable, less dependent and more demanding.

Bornstein also pointed out that in 1997 about 18% of the single parent households were headed by single fathers, a percentage that was three times higher what had been recorded two decades earlier. Today, the rate is thought to be approximately 20%. (Bornstein M, 2002). The Childstats website notes that there has been an increase in the number of homes headed by a single parent.In 1980, 77% of children aged 0-17 years lived with both parents but this percentage had dropped by 10% in 2006. Hispanics registered a higher rate of children living with a single parent and

more females headed the homes than males.

However the proportion of children living with single fathers rose from 2% to 5% from 1980 up to 2006. It is estimated that 1/3 of the total births recorded are from single mothers making this the greatest factor for high rates of single parent households. Death of a spouse or widowhood has over the years been of a relatively less significant cause for single parenthood.Unlike in the ancient times where it was the major cause for single parenthood for males there has been increased divorce as well as separation rates which sees more fathers raise their children single handedly. About a fifth of the total children from the single parent families are raised by single fathers and more fathers are single by choice. (Bornstein M, 2002).

Some never married straight men opt to raise children on their own and this is made possible through the use of surrogate mothers.Others are gay or homosexual who by choice raise children through adoption or the use of surrogacy. The plight of single mothers who form the highest proportion of single parent households varies significantly from that of single fathers. Divorced single parents tend to have a better stand in as far as financial well being is concerned when compared to single parents who have never been married.

Single parenthood caused by divorce has varying impacts on custodial single mothers and custodial single fathers.For the single mothers this would be a cause for shattered dreams, hopes and expectations especially if the father earned a better wage. (Bornstein M, 2002). This can be a cause of depression where the parent could be irritable

and unresponsive to her children precipitating bad behavior like substance abuse. Some engage themselves in poor supervisory roles although at times they could adopt punitive disciplinary practices. Custodial single fathers may not be faced by the minimal income problem but they are also faced with challenges in their child rearing roles.

They may have a problem balancing between work and the child rearing duties. Sometimes they get to work late or miss work in totality as they attend to their children’s needs. Other sacrifices made include rejecting work related travel so as to be with their children. (Bornstein M, 2002). Bornstein also argued that single parenting skills are largely affected by the level of satisfaction these parents get from their work or employment as well as their economic status. In most cases single fathers have a better stand when compared to their counterparts the single mothers.

Most single parents especially the single mothers are faced by many challenges as they try to offer decent lifestyles to their children. (Bornstein M, 2002). The challenges range from financial problems to psychological problems. Most of them are forced to have more than one job or employment all geared to ensuring that they provide the basic needs for their children. Single parents are required to provide shelter, healthcare as well as other basic needs like food for their children.

A high proportion of single women do not have the necessary educational qualifications to enable them acquire good jobs in the competitive job markets. This is the major reason behind their shifting from one part time job to the next as most lack a college diploma or other higher education qualification. There is

need for government intervention through the provision of welfare to assist single parents in dire need of those with extreme difficulties upbringing their children. Financial constraints tend to be the reason behind most children from single parent households having mental or psychological problems.This is attributed to the fact that their parents will have limited time with them as they juggle from one job to the next trying to put bread on the table.

Single mothers are faced by financial constraints than single fathers. This is due to the fact that a significant proportion of the single mothers are young women who in most cases drop out from school due to pregnancies. Another significant proportion is comprised of divorcees who relied on their spouses to provide for them and their children.Unless enforcement laws are enacted to ensure that fathers play a role in the upbringing of their children to ease the burden on the single mothers, then the adverse effects will be transferred to the children. (Jones D, 2006). A significant proportion of children from single parenthood register higher incidences in as far as teenage pregnancies, use of alcohol and substance use are concerned.

This can be attributed to the fact that single parents have limited time to interact effectively with their children since they shift from one job to the next.Again, they have their own psychological problems that need to be resolved that would hinder them from effective parenting. . (Kinnear, Gardner ; Shortelle, 1999). Children in divorced families may have a hard time adjusting to this status and some blame the parents they live with creating tension between them. This could have a negative

effect in as far as effective parenting is concerned as some may rebel resulting to substance usage.

Single parents and single mothers in this case tend to form a significant proportion of the low income earners population in the US.As Nerd and Andrews established they are faced with various housing as well as food insecurity problems. Due to these problems a considerable proportion will suffer constant depression rate as they wonder how they will cater for their own needs as well as those of their children. (Nord M and Andrews M, 2003). Some single mothers live under bridges, in buildings under construction while others live with their relatives while others live in tents.

Extreme financial constraints influence the lives of their children. In most cases the vicious circle of poverty will be maintained.As most of them won’t afford money to enroll in colleges or universities to increase their competence in the job market so will their children. When they do not enroll their children in education they might end up engaging in sexual practices at an early age resulting to pregnancies thus becoming single parents too. Most single parents households are faced with problems or difficulties meeting their health care needs.

Some barely earn enough money to provide basic necessities for their families leave alone afford quality healthcare when they fall ill.With the current healthcare system in the US where heath care is based on an ‘out of pocket approach’ single parent households will register higher inaccessibility rates or levels. Even in cases where single mothers are employed, most employers do not offer them health insurance and they have to use their meager incomes to

finance their health care needs. As Shulman established over 80% of women in the low income category of which a large percentage consists of single mothers do not have access to health care benefits.Approximately 38% do not benefit at all from the Medicaid, the Child Health Plus as well as the Family Health Plus and this translates to increased problems accessing health care services.

(Shulman B). A major characteristic of most jobs where single mothers work is a high turnover rate. This confirms the high level of job insecurity this jobs have making it difficult to cater for their families needs. There are minimal benefits which tend to decline as one move up the social ladder. An increase in the wage levels translates to reduced benefits and this does not help alleviate the problems faced by single mothers.This may see some shy away from seeking employment to rely on welfare when they establish that their standards of living will be worse off especially when a slight wage increase translates to huge cuts in the level of benefits acquired.

Most single mothers suffer due to minimal benefits by the government as well as due to their inadequate human capital which hinders them from attaining decent jobs that would see them have better living standards. Shulman also established, the jobs where most single mothers work lack the effective flexibility as well as safety that would see them raise their children better.There are tight job schedules which are subject to change without their consent and this hinders them from having ample time with their children which is a prerequisite to effective parenting. (Shulman B).

Some work night shifts

as well as other part time jobs leaving them with no time to rest effectively leave alone spend time with their children. Overtimes are also a common occurrence that limits their effective parenting skills. There are limited if any chances of on job training in most of this jobs and this makes them stay in the same state for long periods of time as without the skills upward job mobility is not realized.Their fate is somehow sealed as the chances of advancement are minimal.

Another characteristic of the kinds of jobs these single parents engage in is the presence of surveillance cameras as well as time clocks. This creates the impression that they are working objects or tools and it leaves them feeling emotionally degraded. Frustrations from their job or work places contribute to a large magnitude the psychological as well as mental problems facing single parents. The resultant effect of this is that their effective parenting is highly compromised.In some instances single parents are forced to make tough decisions between risking their jobs in the highly insecure jobs and attending to their children’s health as well as educational needs.

There are rigid rules that hinder them from even attending important issues like taking a child to hospital. Again, since most of these jobs are output based where one is paid depending on the hours worked or output produced, this makes some of these single parents neglect some issues and focus more on work.This is due to the fact that a day without work translates to no wages and without savings it means that when they do not work no food would be placed on

the table. (Shulman B). As Jones in the article ‘single mothers; working, but still poor’ established, there is need to review the Medicaid policies.

The current system is such that a slight increase in one’s wages translates to their being denied food stamps, Medicaid as well as their children’s day care. For instance an increase by $450 in terms of monthly wages sees one denied benefits worth $600 making the impact of such gains have a negative rather than a positive one.This discourages single parents from working hard to advance in their careers. Although the welfare reforms saw more women enroll in the job market from the welfare they relied on, this might not be of a positive effect in alleviating their problems especially their poverty levels. Many single mothers are today working than was the case a decade ago and they are receiving low wages and minimal support from the government.

Approximately 80% of them do not receive employee paid health insurance or benefits either for their children or themselves.Even for those who have employee coverage approximately 38% do not get benefits from Medicaid, Child Heath Plus or Family Health Plus. (Jones D, 2006). Approximately a 1/3 of single mothers working in low paying jobs fail to attain the needed medical care due to their lack of affordability. Over 53% of them are denied leaves or days off even when their children or any other dependent are sick. They also lack a day off or paid vacation making them workaholics.

There is need for government intervention to alleviate the current situation.The federal government can for instance subsidize the college fees for single mothers as

a way to enhance their human capital. Current wages of most single parents especially the single mothers are too minimal that they cannot afford to pay school fees for their children leave alone for their own. (Jones D, 2006). Without the adequate skills, the plight of single parents would remain unchanged. Acquisition of skills will be more of a necessity rather than a requirement if the problem is to be resolved.

There is also need to review the current policies to make them friendlier for the single parents.Provision of child health care as well as education needs would ensure that the vicious circle of poverty that can perpetuate for the single parent households especially single mothers is broken. If this was to be implemented children from single parent households would easily access health care as well as educational facilities without the constraint of finances. The health of children from single parents should not be compromised because of their parent’s plight and the introduction of free child health insurance would be an effective strategy towards this cause.The government can also help raise their living standard by reducing the taxes imposed on them leaving them with higher disposable incomes which would increase their purchasing power and better their standards of living. Increased incomes would enable single parents afford decent housing for their children and they would also access quality healthcare as then they would afford it.

The federal government can also chip in to assist in the construction of houses especially for those living under bridges or in tents. (Jones D, 2006). Such intervention would be of great assistance for the single parents.The money previously used for

the housing needs would now be used for other purposes if the government intervened. Single mothers with no education all can first be offered basic education before they can contemplate advanced education.

This would be more appropriate for women of color who mostly affected by poor education qualification increasing their problems as single parents. It is important to ensure that problems hindering effective parenting for single parents are resolved so as to avoid negative effects in their adulthood lives.There is need to ensure that effective counseling is offered for children with difficulties adapting to new lifestyles especially when divorce takes place to avoid the chances of their engaging in drug or substance use. Attainment of education must be encouraged to avoid chances for the vicious circle of poverty being perpetuated.

Effective counseling will also be beneficial to ensuring that they do not use their current predicament to influence their future decisions on issues like marriages.