Problems of Single Parents
More then a quarter of all American children live with only one of their parents, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Many single parents face problems, which can make their role difficult and often challenging. Identifying and working out these problems is the first step to coping with and enjoying the role of a single parent.
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Employment
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Finding employment as a single parent can be difficult for a number of reasons. Any employment considered must fit in with the children, meaning jobs with unsociable or long hours are usually impossible. Paying for daycare for children not in school can be expensive, particularly for a private daycare facility. If a parent has to pay for daycare, she needs to find employment that pays enough to cover this and household expenses. A single parent can't be as flexible as a childless employee can when it comes to having their hours changed or working overtime.
Stress
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Lone parenting is stressful as well as rewarding. Being a single parent is stressful. Having the responsibility of the children, the home and the bills resting on his shoulders can be overwhelming. Unlike a couple, a single parent has no spouse he can share problems with and work out solutions. He's responsible for paying all of the bills on time and ensuring the children are happy and healthy. Any decisions made regarding finances or discipline fall to him alone. It's even more stressful for single parents who don't have an extended family, which can be used as a support network.
If the parent is in employment, this can add to stress as he may feel he does not have enough hours in the day to complete everything he has to do.
Social Life
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A single parent may find it difficult to have any form of social life, between looking after her children and any employment she finds. Going out with friends and even dating will be impossible unless she can find a babysitter, which costs money. A single parent may find she has little time to herself at all. This can increase feelings of stress and may lead to depression and low self-esteem. This, in turn, could affect her children and employment. Financial strain is one of the biggest causes of depression in single parents, according to Jacqueline Kirby of the Ohio State University.
Guilt
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Single parents are likely to experience feelings of guilt for a number of reasons. Working long hours and not seeing or spending time with the children is probably the biggest cause of guilty feelings. Coping on one income is difficult and leaves little left over for treats, which can add to the guilt a parent already feels. The children may miss the presence of the absent parent, causing the resident parent to feel guilty about the divorce or separation.
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