Growing Up In A Single-Parent Family

1678 Words4 Pages

Single-parent families have been increasing since the 1970s and as you can guess, growing up in a single-parent family can be difficult and stressful for a child. Kathryn M. Feltey states, "The U.S. divorce rate steadily and dramatically increased in the thirty-year period 1965 to 1995. In 1965 the divorce rate was 2.5 per 1,000 people, increasing to an all-time high of 5.0 in 1985 and declining to 4.4 in 1995." (Feltey). Growing up as a child living without a father/mother figure can be challenging for a child. They do not have a father/mother figure to look up to usually because their parent is too busy working, trying to put food on the table and moving the child forward. The parent will not always be there for the child because of all the …show more content…

Since the parent must pay rent, food, clothing, and other necessities, the child can be put in a struggle. There might not be enough financial support for the child and that can lead to bullying from his/her peers. Kathry M. Feltey states "when the demands for work, housework, and parenting can be overwhelming for one person; and emotional overload, when the single parent must always be available to meet both their own and their children's emotional needs" (Feltey). Financially the parent gets challenged because he/she has to give emotional attention to the child and also make sure that everything is fine at the house and at school for the kid as well as going through every challenge that life throws. Finance can also be a huge thing because the child will need to have his/her school supplies and etc. Finance can majorly affect the child and how their future shapes and hopefully the parent can do something about …show more content…

In the "Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family" Feltey states, "In the first few years after a divorce, the children have higher rates of antisocial behavior, aggression, anxiety, and school problems than children in two parent families." (Feltey). If a child is aggressive and also has anxiety, that can all build up and the child can just blow up with anger. Let's suppose that the child is in class in the middle of a lecture and his classmate is bothering him, the child will not let himself be bullied due to his aggression. If the child gets into a fight or does something that can get him in trouble, he can get suspended and that can affect him in the future when he tries to apply for colleges, they will ask him why he got suspended and what happened. Every action teens do will always be forming who they will be when they grow up. Another way his aggression can get him into trouble is if children get into an argument with their parents, they can respond brutally and, also cause conflicts at the house. Being aggressive can be dangerous for the child and the people who surround them.

On the other hand, some might argue that it might be helpful since they will grow up independently as well as the family will get help from the state such as child welfare. Child welfare is a program that helps families by helping them with assistance and needs.

Open Document