All About Single Parents

The Wikipedia Web site defines single parents are parents without partners in raising a child or children. A single parent, accordingly is one parent who is not living with the child’s or children’s other significant parent,

Definitions and descriptions of single parents vary and differ from one society or country to another society or nation. Different cultures also foster different treatment and classification for single parents.

In one country, however, single parents are treated differently according to geographic locations. For example, single parents in the industrial and commercial cities are treated differently and are provided with different perks as compared to those single parents who are based in provinces or the rural areas.

Single parenthood is becoming a very popular style of living nowadays. However, not all societies are readily prepared to accept and treat the trend or concept as a rising trend or norm.
The technical definition of single parents

Single parents are either left alone or abandoned by the other significant parent or their partners. The abandonment involved may come in different occasions and forms.

Single parents are usually abandoned by their respective partners after divorce, after separation (both legal and in principle), after the other parent is jailed, after practical abandonment or after the other parent dies.

Single parents, in more rare cases, do not really have to be the child or children’s biological parents. Yes, blood and DNS affinity may not be the only basis on parenthood.

This also applies to single parents. Single parenthood really is a choice, especially if the child is not really biologically from the single moo or single dad. What a noble situation if that happens!

Single parents, according to recent studies, also become such through different means. Single parents have or attain their children by legal or in-principle adoption or by bearing the child through artificial insemination or surrogate parenting.

Single parenthood, therefore, is a choice. Single parents practically choose to be such. You know how hard it is to raise children nowadays. Financially, physically, emotionally and mentally, single parenthood can really be draining.

In other countries, especially those characterized by strict and old-fashioned norms or cultures, single parents are still considered outcasts. That is because during those rare cases, single parents are treated like they have done unforgivable mistakes or misgivings.

The rising trend of single parents

A recent commissioned study or research in the United States alone reveals that about three children in every ten children on a nationwide average live in homes run by single parents.

The most common and prevalent type of single parents are those situations where there is the single mom. It should also be noted, however, that the other type of single parenthood, those with the father acting as both the mom and the dad of the child is also rapidly increasing.

The father as the single parent is the common single parenthood setting in the Islamic countries. That is because the governments of these nations still do not recognize the value and the ability of women, particularly moms to raise children or even carry on such great responsibilities.

The 2002 Census report in the United States show that there were only 15% of custodial parenthoods, whose single parent carrying on the responsibility of raising the child is the father. For comparison, that figure has risen by 10% over the past ten years.

It means, in the 1990s, it was very rare that single dads carry on the responsibility of solely raising the child. Tides have turned since then, apparently. Single dads are now becoming a popular notion, concept or situation in the modern society.

Single parenthood

Indeed, you must not be too judgmental against single parents, especially in these times. It is because the trend and concept of single parenthood is becoming not uncommon to almost all societies around the world.

Gone were the days when children raised by single parents were called bastards and were teased ceaselessly in school. The legislative sector now has instituted laws to protect children of single parents.

Single parenthood is becoming too popular and common that it is now an accepted situation and occurrence. Commend and congratulate single parents. The choice they have made for their lives are truly courageous.