The Ups and Downs of Parenting
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF PARENTING
The Ups and Downs of Parenting
Patricia Johnson
ENG 121: English Composition I
Instructor: Karen Lawler May 23, 2010 Ashford University
The Ups and Downs of Parenting Single parents compared to two parent families are more challenging. Single parents have become a lot more common in society today. There are varies reason people become single parents; abandonment, divorce, death of a spouse and choosing not to be married. There are often many daily struggles and disadvantages that a single parent encounter on a daily base. Single parents has to deal with balancing work and family duties, daycare cost, daycare services, quality of time with children, economic struggles and sick children (Golden, 1999). The majority of single parents are female and the economic struggle is greater that single fathers. Singles parents typically earn less income than single fathers. In some cases single mothers has the same job title but are paid less than the male. Low pay for work farces single parents to work overtime and this takes time away from their children leaving them home unattended or passing their children on to another person to care for the children. This can mean that a single parent is away from their children for long hours up to 16 hours in a single day (Golden, 1999). Compared to a two parent household the children are with one parent if the other is working long hours or overtime to support the family. Single parent families are faced with economic challenges. Many single parents in 2002 earned less than $30,000 compared to two parents income. Sometimes frustration can get the best of a single parent not being able to provide the basic needs for his or her families. The two parent families earned more that $75,000 (Fields, 2003). Most single parents live on one income although some have been
The Ups and Downs of Parenting
Patricia Johnson
ENG 121: English Composition I
Instructor: Karen Lawler May 23, 2010 Ashford University
The Ups and Downs of Parenting Single parents compared to two parent families are more challenging. Single parents have become a lot more common in society today. There are varies reason people become single parents; abandonment, divorce, death of a spouse and choosing not to be married. There are often many daily struggles and disadvantages that a single parent encounter on a daily base. Single parents has to deal with balancing work and family duties, daycare cost, daycare services, quality of time with children, economic struggles and sick children (Golden, 1999). The majority of single parents are female and the economic struggle is greater that single fathers. Singles parents typically earn less income than single fathers. In some cases single mothers has the same job title but are paid less than the male. Low pay for work farces single parents to work overtime and this takes time away from their children leaving them home unattended or passing their children on to another person to care for the children. This can mean that a single parent is away from their children for long hours up to 16 hours in a single day (Golden, 1999). Compared to a two parent household the children are with one parent if the other is working long hours or overtime to support the family. Single parent families are faced with economic challenges. Many single parents in 2002 earned less than $30,000 compared to two parents income. Sometimes frustration can get the best of a single parent not being able to provide the basic needs for his or her families. The two parent families earned more that $75,000 (Fields, 2003). Most single parents live on one income although some have been
References: Golden, M.(1999). A Miracle Every Day Triumph and Transformation in the Lives of Single Mothers. New York: Doubleday. Fields, J. (2003, June). Children’s Living Arrangements and Characteristics. Retrieved May 13, 2010. from http//:www.census.gov/prod/2003puds/.html