One Parent Homes Versus Two Parent Homes Essay Example
Mahalia White
C Almon
Paper
2/20/2011
One Parent Homes Versus Two Parent Homes Traditionally, the family unit was made up of father, mother, and children. Today, one out of every two children in the United States will live in a single-parent family at some time before they reach age 18. According the United States Census Bureau, in 2002 about 20 million children lived in a household with only their mother or their father. This is more than one-fourth of all children in the United States. Most single-parent situations result from divorce, but some school-age children have experienced the death of a parent. Others may have been adopted by an unmarried individual. Children born to a mother who was never married accounted for 36 percent of all children in single-parent families in 1995. Single parenthood can be one of life's biggest challenges but in some ways single parenthood can be just as satisfying an experience as sharing parenting with a spouse but there are problems unique to single parenthood. The most consistent finding from studies of family structure shows that single parents exert weaker controls and make fewer demands on their children than married families do. This issue is believed to be the direct result of not having two parents together that make rules and stick by the rules. Single parents are not able to show the same emotions as married couples can, because the love between a mother and a father plays an important part in a family. Children learn how to love from their parents, but if both parents are not there to teach them how to love, their love might be somewhat one-sided. Yes, single parents can show their love toward their children, but they have no spouse to express love to. Children from single parent families are therefore denied that learning experience of how a husband and a wife should love one another. Relationships are another thing that everyone needs, especially children. Children need a real strong
C Almon
Paper
2/20/2011
One Parent Homes Versus Two Parent Homes Traditionally, the family unit was made up of father, mother, and children. Today, one out of every two children in the United States will live in a single-parent family at some time before they reach age 18. According the United States Census Bureau, in 2002 about 20 million children lived in a household with only their mother or their father. This is more than one-fourth of all children in the United States. Most single-parent situations result from divorce, but some school-age children have experienced the death of a parent. Others may have been adopted by an unmarried individual. Children born to a mother who was never married accounted for 36 percent of all children in single-parent families in 1995. Single parenthood can be one of life's biggest challenges but in some ways single parenthood can be just as satisfying an experience as sharing parenting with a spouse but there are problems unique to single parenthood. The most consistent finding from studies of family structure shows that single parents exert weaker controls and make fewer demands on their children than married families do. This issue is believed to be the direct result of not having two parents together that make rules and stick by the rules. Single parents are not able to show the same emotions as married couples can, because the love between a mother and a father plays an important part in a family. Children learn how to love from their parents, but if both parents are not there to teach them how to love, their love might be somewhat one-sided. Yes, single parents can show their love toward their children, but they have no spouse to express love to. Children from single parent families are therefore denied that learning experience of how a husband and a wife should love one another. Relationships are another thing that everyone needs, especially children. Children need a real strong