The Effects of Single Parent Homes on Children

Financial Support

• Raising a child in a single parent home puts stress on finances. Stress accumulates for the parent who is trying to manage a work life and a home life, and also for the child, who may suffer from the lack of financial support for daily necessities and an absentee parent. Hannah Hudson, in her article "6 Money-saving Secrets of Single Parents," outlines a few ways single parents can save money. Joining a support group, finding hand-me-downs from older children and teaching kids the value of responsibility help cut costs to give children the things they need.

Self-Esteem

• In single parent families, self-esteem issues play a major role in a child's behavior. A study published in the 2010 Journal of Psychology shows that children have lower self-esteem with a single parent than children who are raised with two parents. The strongest finding relates that the mother-daughter relationship suffers the most, as girls formulate their world-view and confidence from the example of the mother.

Education

• The educational level of parents also contributes to the behavioral maturity of children. Single parents who do not have a full high school education result in lower wage earning potential and can suffer from a higher incidence of health problems. Because of this children can suffer from aggression, depression and anxiety, as noted by author Katti Gray from research of studies done by Princeton University beginning in 2007. In her article "Broken Ties" from the journal Diverse, she claims that the higher the education in parents produces more opportunities for the child, and possibly contributes to better behavior.