Single Parenting is not Child Abuse
-------------------------------------------------
Ms. Manning II Discovery
Johanna Moore
This essay is about why I disagree with Donald Pridemore’s statement that says “Being raised in a single parent home could be considered living in a abusive situation and because of that people should not jump into divorce and find alternatives.” Child abuse is the physical, sexual or emotional mistreatment or neglect of a child. Though it is true that children are more likely to get abused in single parent homes. I think that it was unfair and ignorant to make this statement because that is putting a class of people and putting the all in the in the wrong when many of them are right with their parenting.
The first reason that I oppose against Mr.Pridemore’s statement is because some people do not choose to be single parents but are put in that situation. One way people can become a single parent is if your spouse or partner is deceased. Another way to become a single parent is if you have your child at a young age with someone who you did not plan to spend your life with. You may also be a single parent because the other person just walked out. Some of these situations you cannot avoid because you can’t make someone stay alive nor can you force someone to stay with you.
The 2nd reason I disagree with the statement is because people get in two parent homes too. In his statement I think people forgot that all types of parents abuse their children not just single ones. Abuse happens every day in fact, 5 children die a day from child abuse but how many of those 5 kids were raised in single parent homes? No one really knows all they know is their own opinion.
The last reason why I disagree with that statement is because alternatives are not always the best thing for the parent’s relationship. If you are a victim of domestic violence it is best to leave the relationship. In 2005 spouses or intimate partners killed 1,181 women, that’s an average of about 3 women a day. That just makes me think, how many of those women had kids and could have saved their lives by just raising that child on their own.
People who agree with this statement are saying that it was their fault for being beaten, their fault someone died and that they made some one walk out on them. The reality is none of that was in their control. I don’t think anyone plans to be a single parent but at the end of the day even I would do what I have to do to raise my child. Our own president was raised by a single parent for a majority of his life, and that goes to show that his mother did something right she didn’t let the men in her life reprioritize her life she always put her kids first.
I have made my argument and I hope I changed some opinions of people who agreed with Mr. Pridemore’s statement. More than anything I hope this essay made people take my ideas into consideration and take pride in having a single mother. I think that some people can relate and learn off of many parts of this essay such as statistics and facts.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
The job of parenting can be a gratifying experience, but it can also be overwhelming at times. When a child is birthed, the notion of feeding, clothing, and providing for them is a fundamental awareness. Although the basics of child rearing are common knowledge, rarely are parents told the techniques for raising a productive child. Decades ago, it was routine that the father worked while the mother stayed home to care for the children and the household. In this era, there are some extenuating circumstances where parents cannot totally commit to monitoring their children. They may be forced into single parenting, they may be required to work more than one job, or they may have too many children which would render them unable to properly supervise the child that needs the most supervision. On some occasions, these unsupervised adolescents may turn to substance use for various reasons. Some adolescents abuse substances (dependent variable) because of the type of supervision that was provided by their parents (independent variable). In this case, the question by which this research is…
- 1561 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays -
Single parenting creates many challenges and difficulties that a working adult must endure when attending upper level educational institutions. Everyone is different and adjust to life stressors distinctively. Traditional students are not alone on university and community college campuses anymore. With the increase of non-traditional campuses, an increase of hindrances of receiving college education increases as well. Childcare, transportation, and job stress are all examples of obstructions single parents must face while concentrating on education.…
- 448 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Topic: In this paper I will research the topic of single-parenting. There are an array of topics that fall into single-parent households that could be researched, such as behavioral problems in the children, female-headed households, mental illness and suicidal thoughts in the children, neglect, and race in single-parent families. I decided to focus my research on the adversities single-parent families face compared to dual family households, as well as single-mother and single-father comparisons and the effects of each. I chose this subject because it is relevant, and sometimes a factor in many of the other concerns mentioned involving single-parenting. Although…
- 1797 Words
- 8 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Is raising a child alone mean there won’t be someone that they’ll love more? In Happy Father’s Day, Mom an article written by Abigail Foerstner. Single mothers have always gotten stuck in a situation especially with boys. The boys grow up and want to do sports, whereas the mother has no experience at all with sports. Just like how in The Odyssey by Homer, Queen Penelope had a son she had to raise alone for 18 years while Odysseus was off at war. Raising a kid as both a mother and father figure has it hard on the single mothers trying to get their kids to have a “normal” life.…
- 751 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Facing lone parenthood is by far in my opinion, one the most hardest tasks anyone would have to face, but to then be labelled as well as a ‘scrounger’ or a ‘strain on society’ is it itself unfair, especially as early research shows there was initially very little evidence to sustain these allegations.…
- 1408 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
“Many of the 1.5 million children in the U.S. whose parents divorce every year feel as if their worlds are falling apart”. Divorce is a common trend among our society today. People chose to get marry early since they think they’ve met the love of their life already. Maybe sometimes they even decide to have a kid while thinking carelessly. I believe divorce is a major issue in our society today; it’s not as easy as it seems and occasionally affects children who is involved in the divorce.…
- 494 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Children without any support, who are isolated or rather lack people to nurture them in their lives, are more negatively affected by their exposure to Domestic Violence.…
- 645 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Barajas, Mark S. (2011) "Academic Achievement of Children in Single Parent Homes: A Critical Review," The Hilltop Review: Vol. 5:…
- 4771 Words
- 20 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Children exposed to domestic violence can become mentally ill with depression or anxiety and, in some cases, blame themselves for the the abuse between their parents. Kids in a domestically abusive household may also grow up to believe that being violent or accepting violence from loved ones is okay and they may act out aggressively towards others. Children may be abused physically or sexually themselves and sometimes take on the abuse when trying to interfere to stop the violence. We need to remember that not only are the adults in a domestically abusive relationship affected, the kids witnessing the abuse can also be severely damaged because of it. As we grow older, we become role models for younger generations. Every decision we make is viewed by the children around us, so let’s set an example for them. We need to decrease the amount of domestic abuse in this society, especially when children are involved, to make sure that they can grow up in a mentally and physically stable…
- 1032 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Single parents, whether a mother or a father can have the qualities needed to raise a confident, well-mannered, and respectful child. Neither one has an advantage over the other, they are both equal. If either one is willing to put the effort into being a parent then they should be…
- 267 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In the second paragraph, Mr. Blankenhorn states that, “About 40 percent of American children will go to sleep in homes in which their fathers do not live” (287). I disagree with this statement because I believe there is a higher percentage of American children going to sleep in homes in which their fathers do not live. As the rate of teen pregnancy and divorces increases, also does the rate of fatherless children increase. Mr. Blankenhorn also stated that, “Before they reach the age of eighteen, more than half of our nation’s children are likely to spend at least a significant portion of their childhoods living apart from their fathers” (287). Unfortunately, this is true. Having a father around has been linked to important developments in a child 's physical, emotional and behavioral health. Several leading sociologists have labeled father absence "the most pressing issue facing America today"(Stuart).…
- 429 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In 1999 around 16 million children were living in a single parent household with their mothers, and almost 6 million children were living with only their fathers or with no parents at all (Fields and Casper, internet). The European Commission has reported that the percentage of children living with only one parent has grown from 8% to 13% in the last fifteen years. Population projections in the United States estimate that half of the children born in the 1990's will spend some time in single parent households (Amato, internet). These statistics seem unrealistic but if one thinks about it and actually look around and see their friends' families they would have to agree. I live in a single parent household…
- 1233 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Raising children is a major job that takes time and patience. But imagine being a single parent, raising a child on your own. According to, Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2007, released by the U.S. Census Bureau in November 2009, there are approximately 13.7 million single parents in the United States today ( that’s not including the individuals who didn’t participate). Those parents are responsible for raising 21.8 million children (approximately 26% of children under 21 in the U.S. today). Generally, I will illustrate the picture of the single-family and their corresponding struggles with daily life.…
- 711 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
This paper will take a brief look at what domestic violence is, and a longer look at what impact and effects it has on those who are victims of and witnesses to domestic violence. Domestic violence has been an issue since the advent of the family unit. It has gone through history as a generally accepted practice, as an issue never to be spoken about, and is finally becoming something that the public is not only aware of, but trying to stop. Even so, there are many families who fall through the cracks, and children who become direct products as both the abused and witnesses of the abused. This paper will explore this issue by following this…
- 2756 Words
- 12 Pages
Best Essays -
It is so much better to have two moms or two dads, than no parents at all? In March 2007, there were 65,000 children adopted and being raised by homosexual parents in the United States (Gandossy, 2007). There were also, more than 14,100 foster children in loving homes with homosexual couples (Gandossy, 2007). There are so many children that need parents in America, parenting should not be defined by sexuality, instead anyone who is fit to be parents should be allowed to adopt.…
- 1540 Words
- 7 Pages
Powerful Essays