Impact on Children in Single Family
The Increase in Single-Parent Families
The increase in single-parent families has been one of the most pressing changes in the structure of families in the current years. In the past, the most common reason for having single-parent families was the death of one parent. However, things have changed in the recent days, with a good number of the population opting to be single mothers or single fathers because of personal reasons. The current research indicates that at least one in every four children is brought up in single-families (Hsiao 551). The majority of these parents are unmarried mothers, many of whom are in their teens. Thus, most of the children raised in single-families are often less successful and find it tougher to have economic relief, freedom, and stability as opposed to their counterparts in intact-functioning families.
Importance of Good Parenting in Cognitive Development
Several studies in the past reveal that good parenting is probably one of the most important things in the cognitive development of a child (Kerr and Beaujot 142). Children who get parental love from both parents seem to grow healthier both physically and psychologically as compared to their fellows who only have one parent. The fact that both parents are there for the child does not only make them feel loved but also give them the necessary guidance throughout their stages of life. When children interact with both mother and father, they learn a lot through parental advice and care (Hsiao 556). The presence of the parents also enables the child to develop interpersonal relationships through bonding with the parents (Kerr and Beaujot 149). However, this is what children raised in single-parent families miss, since they do not get the opportunity to interact with both parents, learn the expected values of life, and feel the love from both parents. Therefore, such children are usually vulnerable to some mental disorders such as personality disorders, depression, and not limited to stress. It is imperative to note that the effects children suffer from single parenthood might not only affect their early life but also influence their relationship building in future.
Economic Challenges of Single-Parent Families
It is also significant to be cognizant of the economic challenges that parents in single families go through. The fact that most of the single mothers are teenagers makes it hard for them to provide for their children adequately (Holmbeck and Devine 43). Thus, it is justifiable to assert that children raised in single-parent families are more likely to languish in poverty as opposed to their counterparts in intact-functional families, whose parents can join hands and raise. Besides, it would be least expected to see a child brought up in a single family live up to the societal norms. For instance, if a boy child were raised by a single mother, whom he knew was the only parent he had, he would be less likely to take up the role of a father in a family (Holmbeck and Devine 47). Conversely, the reverse is true for a girl child, who might hardly meet the expectation of the society by being a responsible mother and a wife. Concisely, every child would like to have both the mother and the father regardless of the circumstance of life. Single parenting creates a high likelihood of foster children in the society, which is not both psychologically and socially healthy for the children.
Works Cited
Holmbeck, Grayson N., and Katie A. Devine. “Psychosocial and Family Functioning in Spina Bifida.” Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews 2010: 40–46. Web.
Hsiao, C. Y. “Family Demands, Social Support and Family Functioning in Taiwanese Families Rearing Children with Down Syndrome.” Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 58.6 (2014): 549–559. Web.
Kerr, Don, and Roderic Beaujot. “Family Relations, Low Income, and Child Outcomes: A Comparison of Canadian Children in Intact-, Step-, and Lone-Parent Families.” International Journal of Comparative Sociology 43.2 (2002): 134–152. Web.
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