Effects Of Single Parent Families

“Ninety percent of single-parent families are headed by females. Not surprisingly, single mothers with dependent children have the highest rate of poverty across all demographic groups” (Olson & Banyard, 1993, p. 50-56). “Approximately 60 percent of U.S. children living in mother-only families are impoverished, compared with only 11 percent of two-parent families. The rate of poverty is even higher in African-American single-parent families, in which two out of every three children are poor” (Kirby, n.d., Single-parent Families in Poverty section, para.2).

Although biblically, a man is the head of the household, it is very common to find a woman leading a single parent household. Women are very independent today and they will do whatever it takes to make their family happy even if it causes for working late hours or even working jobs that are typically men’s job. Single moms perform duties such a mowing the yard, washing cars, and even working on cars. But there comes times when these single women need help. Sometimes they are discriminated upon on their jobs by men and

They now are primary breadwinners for the family. Although government assistance is available to these two individuals, they feel that they should be eligible for more benefits being a single parent. One of the participants even worked part-time just to be at home when their children get home from school. They make sure that their children have hot meals each day and all the basic necessities even if they have to borrow money from relatives. Looking from outside, a person would never know that these individual are a part of the poverty level standards. The male participant made the statement “God will provide”. He went on to explain how at one time he had nothing and was homeless. He and his son lived in a shelter, but God made a