Being the best Divorced/Single parent EVER!!! by Lotus Flower

19. June 2009 by student.

” Broken Home”. This is a derogatory label that causes much pain misunderstanding. Too often children living in single parent households have to contend with negative stereotypes and hurtful remarks made by insensitive adults. Regardless of whether the single parent family exists as a result of divorce or the death of the other parent, the child who is clearly not responsible for the circumstances. However, it is the child who often pays the price: the child who has to sit on the bench because he/she misses practice while visiting the other parent, the child who comes home from school cring, sad when he doesnt know whi to make a Fathers Day card for because his father died. As adults, teachers, coaches, neighbirs family and friends, we can change our attitude, be more sensitive and compassionate, and recognize that single parents raise good kids too!

It is difficult and challenging to be a parent today, and it is even more difficult to raise children alone. We as parents are often overwhelmed and lacking the parenting skills necessary to do a good job. But good solid parenting has less to do with the number of parents in the home and more to do with the quality of parenting. Whether the single parent household is headed by a mother, father, or a grandparent, raising children alone is an emormous task. Why should we care? Because the statistics tell us that most of us will live in, know of or be involved with a single parent family at some point.

Since 2000 the number of children living in a single parent family has doubled. In fact, statistics from 2002 indicate that single parent families represent 30% of U.S. households, while 25% represent two parent households. Based on current trends,there are predictions that upwards of 70%  of children born since 1998 will spend some time in a single parent home before their 18th birthday. These children are not doomed to failure. In fact they are more likely to be sucessful in life. They are faced with adversity early in life which makes them strong willed and wise. They learn how to take care of themselves quicker because the pwrent has to work.They understand the difficulties in the world sooner then those kids of a two parent home, watching the parent provide for them. Children of single parent homes ( good single parent homes) can grow up to be good, decent, and productive individuals.

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