Running head: PROBLEMS FACED BY SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES 1

Problems Faced by Single Parent Families

Student’s Name

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PROBLEMS FACED BY SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES 2

Problems Faced by Single Parent Families

Single parenthood is a phenomenon that has become popular in the 21st century. While

there were single parents in the 20th century and even earlier, their numbers were lesser

compared to today because of many reasons. The reasons notwithstanding, single parents and

their children experience unique challenges not faced by conventional nuclear family units.

These special problems vary depending on the culture and social intelligence of the

environments in which they reside. Considering the facts, this essay seeks to highlight the unique

problems faced by single parents and their children.

Similar to the past, institutions such as the church and traditional leaders have maintained

that a decent nuclear family consists of a mother, father, and children. However, current trends

show that fathers are increasingly abdicating their parental duties leaving women to raise

children alone (Briggs et al., 2016). In other circumstances, the death of a parent might be the

cause of single parenthood. Considering the definition of a “decent” family, single parents and

their children face discrimination on many fronts.

In society, a single parent, especially a single mother, is openly disrespected and looked

down upon, the circumstances notwithstanding. Some schools, restaurants, and even churches

openly deny single parents or their children admission as a result of institutional policies. Single

parent poverty and depression are also matters of concern (Malczyk, & Lawson, 2017). The

children, on the other hand, have to contend with constant ridicule and disrespect from their

peers and adults. In the case of a single mother, the absence of a father figure in the family is also

a factor which affects the children’s upbringing, self-esteem, self-image, and confidence to a big

extent (Briggs et al., 2016). Resultantly, the children learn to become protective and relatively

hostile since they have to look after their families’ interests and reputation from a young age.
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In conclusion, the problems that single parents and their children face are special because

they are deemed to be “different” from other people. However, the disrespect and discrimination

should be discouraged and strongly condemned as it causes stigmatization.

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References

Briggs, H. E., Cox, W., Sharkey, C. N., Corley, N., Briggs, A. C., & Black, M. (2016). The Role

of Behavioral Theory in Model Development Research with Single Parent

Families. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 33(4), 349-363.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-015-0428-y

Malczyk, B. R., & Lawson, H. A. (2017). Parental monitoring, the parent-child relationship and

children's academic engagement in mother-headed single-parent families. Children and

Youth Services Review, 73, 274-282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.12.019