Single Parent Homes

Divorce, death or teenage pregnancy, the reasons for being a single parent are many. It may be a choice you make or a decision you take, but there are thousands of single parents to support and guide you with single parenting. According to US Census Bureau report, the duration 1994-2006, saw a steady rate of 9% single parent homes in US. The trend has seen more women as single parent than men. However, in the recent times men are also seen as single parents. According to statistics on single parent homes, 14% Australians households were single parent homes in 2003 and in 2005 United Kingdom saw 5.9 million families headed by single parents. Single parent homes are not just a phenomenon in the West, but a global one. Single parent homes are more at risk of desired outcomes, but with a better understanding of the dilemmas, worries and problems, the outcomes can be desired ones.

Children in Single Parent Homes
Divorce has been the major reason for single parent homes. A divorce leads to emotional trauma and psychological impairments in not only in children, but also amongst family members. In such a situation, when one parent takes over the house, he/she not only have to deal with child's trauma but even theirs. The most common mistake made by single parents is hiding their emotional frame of mind. This way the children learn to understand you better and vice-versa. This will help your child to deal with 'blaming the parent game', making him respect you. It's not the child's fault, but the sudden turn of events is what they cannot cope up with.

Children Growing Up in Single Parent Homes
Growing up, especially the teenage and adolescence is the rocky time of child development. Single parents, need to make extra effort to deal with children in this age bracket. Its at this juncture, that children experiment with their innocence and turn rebellious. In the worst single parent home cases, children are seen ticking to drug abuse, fall to sexual abuse and indulge in alcohol abuse. The remedy to avoid and avert such cases is developing healthy relationships. There are many self-help books to show you how to build relationships and maintain them. Do not go on a 'No Spree', as it makes your child think that you are against their best interests. Try and make them understand the logic behind the activity. Doing the activities in a fun way, can send the message across. Too much of preaching is bad for health.

Children Raised in Single Parent Homes
Sushmita Sen, the Indian Diva and Miss Universe 1994, adopted a girl child at 24, who was likely to be mentally disabled within a year's span. But the duo have turned out like any other happy family would. Today, Sushmita's daughter, Renée have a bond that stems from the heart and not one that stems from the stomach. Your children will be imitations of your thought and intellect. There are plenty of cases that have gone wrong in the single parent homes. But there's even more, that you can look up to and emulate.

Disadvantages of Single Parent Homes
Other than psychological and emotional, single parent homes are likely to suffer from economic disparities. Having a poor financial back-up can lead to poor schooling of the child and poor standard of living too. It becomes difficult for one parent to share the time of the day between work and the child. Over work, is an offshoot of economic instability. This causes difficulty in functioning for both the parent and the child. The child gets left at home for a good amount of time, which in many cases result in taking a recourse unpleasant activities.

Effects of Single Parent Homes
The effects of single parent home, may in a lot of bigger ways be beneficial for the child. Though their may be sacrifices along the way, at the end of it its a win-win situation for all. Especially, in case of divorce, when the relationship comes to the point of toeing and dragging for the 'sake' of the child, its best to just let go. This will reduce the regular fighting and cold wars in front of your child, making the home much happier and livable. This will provide both the parents, an individual opportunity of strengthening the bond. The effects of single parenting are always what you want to be and make an effort in the same direction.

Single parent homes are not that a difficult task as they seem if you follow some single parenting tips. To run efficient and blissful single parent homes, the secret lies is not gathering much information about it, as it leads to prejudices and pre-conceived notions. Keep the child within you, alive, and I promise you that your child will turn out just as you wanted him too! Pots of luck and love, to you and your child as you embark to the journey of adventures and accomplishments!