Single Parenting in America

Katherine’s husband died from a road accident in June 2008 and has not remarried since then. “Many times I meet men who are interested in me but after visiting my house and noticing that I have big boys, they grow cold feet,” says Katherine. She has since given up any hopes of ever getting married. Her mother has been of great support to her and has helped her wherever necessary. Katherine’s mother knows the pain of a woman carrying the weight of fending for children all by oneself. One of the major causes of single parenting is divorce (Amato and Anthony 373). There has been an increase in the number of divorce cases within the past decade in the USA. During these cases, it is inevitable for the couple to fight for child custody and that leads to one of the parents becoming the custodian.

Even in cases where there is joint custody, the child often ends up with one of the parents for the majority of the time. “I have a friend who divorced her husband and they got joint custody of their daughter. Additionally, some spouses experience stress in their marriages and this leads to depression (Hetherington 34). Therefore, they abandon their families to seek a peace of mind. However, Patrick Luther, a sociologist offers a different opinion to Dr. Webber. Luther believes that the modern society has contributed heavily to the rise in the number of single parenthood families. One of the major demerits is the financial burden it places on the single parent (Damaske, Bratter and Frech 126). Given the increasingly harsh economic and political conditions in the country, it is certainly the worst time for anyone to be a single parent.

Katherine hopes that her first-born son will secure a scholarship to one of the good colleges within the state to reduce the weight of tuition fees off her shoulders. “I am really happy that my boys are grown and that my last son is about to begin fending for himself. He needs to know that putting food on the table ain’t easy,” says Katherine while smiling. In some instances, the child and the parent develop a very strong bond and the parent can use this bond to help direct the life of the child in a positive direction. Children in such relationships often seek advice from their parents about various issues. Additionally, single parenting gives both the child and the parent a higher sense of responsibility and maturity (Being the Parent para.

The child will often try and help the parent wherever necessary because they get to see the lengths and breadths that the parents go to ensure that they have all they need. Katherine mentions that Liam began working during the summer a year earlier than his peers and has continued to support his mother ever since. Many mothers and fathers out there do not have a clue about the issues that they are facing. This paper has addressed the experiences of two single mothers who have both managed to raise children by their own. Therefore, this will serve as an inspiration for the many clueless parents out there. Additionally, the paper has relied on the expertise of a psychologist and a sociologist who have offered insight on some of the causes and effects of single parenting.

Secondly, the government and other social welfare entities can use this information to provide better services to the families. First, the author sought a single parent family that was within the neighborhood and asked for their permission to be featured via interview. Thereafter, the author sought a psychologist and sociologist to offer expert opinion on the subject matter. After the interview, the author selected the most relevant information and wrote a draft. Contemporary journalism employs the use of technology. The author used technology devices such as a recorder to collect data, and computer to write and edit the article. Bratter, and Adrianne Frech. “Single mother families and employment, race, and poverty in changing economic times. ” Social science research 62 (2017): 120-133. Hetherington, E.