0 commentsConsidering what a force of nature the single mom should be, since 23% of American families are now headed by a single woman, it is amazing to realize that this group has the highest rate of poverty. So what do single moms really need? A voice, recognition and a little help from the rest of society.
Deadbeat Dads
One of the first complaints you will hear, from social conservatives at least, is that there really isn’t any such thing as a single mother.
Let’s face it, human cloning has not been fully developed, and humans haven’t mastered the art of asexual reproduction yet, so every child does have a father. But where is he? And if he doesn’t care to be physically involved in his own child’s life, that is up to him, and is his loss.
But since he has half of the responsibility of creating the child, he also has half of the responsibility of raising the child, and so efforts have to be increased to make it easier for moms to file for support, for family court judges to grant support and for employers to garnish support payments.
Schools Can Help
One of the biggest expenses single mothers face is the cost of child care during their work hours.
Look at the example of a single mom who was an assistant manager in a health care facility. She made a decent salary, but could never afford to leave work one minute late, since it meant she would have to be late picking her children up from the day care center, and the stiff penalty for this from the day care center was more than any additional pay she would earn.
Regardless of the reason, an employee who rushes out of work every night is not going to be viewed as a candidate for raises or promotions. Schools can help with after hour programs that extend into the evenings, and there is no law that says these programs have to be monitored by highly paid teachers.
Do It For the Children
The single mothers raising their children alone are not the only ones who suffer from the situation. Children are under tremendous pressure when a single parent has to try to shuttle them to school, rush to pick them up at night, make dinner while trying to help with homework, and then only hope to have the time and energy to take the children to sporting or other activities.
Children who are involved in sports and other extra curricular activities tend to do better in school and have fewer behavioral problems, but how does a single mom manage to be a soccer mom at the same time? Many die hard conservatives would be quick to respond that they made their bed, they have to lie in it, but, society in general will suffer when all children are not given the same opportunities for growth and involvement.
Single moms can always find ways to cope through better organization, shopping for sales, exchanging duties with other moms, etc., but the serious help will only come when the rest of us realize how important it is for them, and therefore their children, to succeed.
Not all single mothers will be single forever. Before introducing any new partner into their lives and the lives of their children, a background check is recommended. History can repeat itself, but it can also be prevented.
