Statistics have to be made known to the public so that prejudice against families headed by a parent can be prevented and, ultimately, stopped. Although we now live in a modern world, some discriminatory notions about single-parent families are still prevalent. Some people still carry the belief that single-parent families must not be allowed, not be given the same opportunities that other families enjoy, or even cast out of society.
People these days have the option of annulment or divorce, and more couples choose to go their separate ways rather than have their children endure their constant fighting. A recent survey shows that more or less 59% percent of children in the United States have lived in single-parent homes when they were growing up. Moreover, another study shows that more than 19 million children in the country are currently living in single-parent homes. These mean that in reality, single-parent homes are more ‘normal’ than most people think.
Because society still has reservations about being a parent many feel as if they are doing their children wrong by choosing to do the parenting alone. The truth supported by studies is that having a parent alone is the least of the concerns of many children out there. In fact, a lot of children don’t have any parent at all. Out of 73 million children, 3.9% actually do not live with any parent. Some live with their grandparents or other relatives, and some are left on the streets with no one to take care of them. Children who come from a single-parent home are lucky for the simple reason that they have a parent-not a stranger-to raise them in the first place.
A huge number of parents also feel lonely because they believe they will never find love again. Those who were originally part of a couple and separated from their partner feel that they owe it to their children to shun the possibility of a new romantic relationship. Others, on the other hand, feel that they won’t be able to attract the person they like because of their circumstance. Well, a recent survey shows that almost 10% of all children living in single-parent homes actually have blended families. That means that their parent found another person to take their other parent’s place. Thus, there are who wish to give marriage another try should not lose hope.
Some people assume that children living with a parent are living with their mom. Although mothers are often given custody of their children (children under seven years of age are automatically required by law to live with their mother), fathers also take a slice of the pie. Some 87% of children in single-parent homes live with their mom, and the remaining 12% live with their dad.
They are just like any other parent. The only difference is that they raise their children on their own, by choice or otherwise. The statistics in this article show that they aren’t doing so bad-and that they need equal opportunities to ensure that their children grow up in a healthy and financially stable environment.
