The number of single-parent, also known as one-parent,
families has substantially increased over time with leading causes being
divorce and unplanned sexual intercourse. The single parents heading these
families, together with their children face several struggles in their daily
lives and the most evident one is that they have to try and make ends meet
financially. It is practically difficult for such families as they usually have
to survive on only one income, compared to other families with two parents
working providing double income.
The other challenge that affective
psychologically and traumatizing at times occurs when the single parenthood results
from a divorce or separation of previously united partners. In this case, the
single parent is faced with the challenge of developing a friendly relationship
with the other parent. Being friendly after a disagreement that leads to
divorce or separation is obviously almost difficult and a can be a challenge in
itself. It also is traumatizing for the children as they have to learn how to accept and live with
fact that they are losing one parent. Some of the issues that present
challenges to single parents and their children due to divorce and separation
comprise of visitation, collecting child support, joint custody of children,
even power struggles. This gets distracting to them and results in deteriorated
performance in a lot of aspect, especially if they are too young to decipher
why it has to be that way.
Having to do everything by
themselves is, probably, the most difficult thing that a single parent can
struggle with when there is no one else to help them getting it done. In
acceptance of the situation, a single parent quickly learns that if something
has to be done, they are the one that have to do it. Raising a child and
shaping their behavior is one of the things that require input from both
parents yet they have to deal with it by themselves. Whatever comes out the
child’s behavior will be the single parent’s sole responsibility. Varied researches
have found that children in single-parented homes generally fare worse than
those in homes with two parents. This is because children with single parents
many the children are at risk for certain psychological and developmental
problems. For instance, they are more vulnerable undesired peer behaviors and
are more likely to drop out of school. The thought of the possibility of
such things is enough to challenge the single parent in their skills and
ability to parent the child or children to moral maturity. The ability to deal
with such mental stress, which are also challenges, is a special challenge the
single parents face as well as their children. However, it is important to note
that the source of these special challenges and resultant child behavior problems
is not necessarily single-parenthood itself. It is rather a
combination of economic pressures, family instability, overwhelming
responsibility for the single parent and conflicts between parents.
-Pancras Odhiambo-
