The Disadvantages of Single-Parent Homes
The United States leads the world with nearly 10 million single-parent households, and 23% of children under the age of 18 living with a single parent. While each family’s situation is different, studies show that children raised in single-parent homes tend to face more struggles than children from homes with two parents. Here are some of the disadvantages of single-parent homes:
Less Money - Single parents often earn less money than two parents. This can lead to issues like food insecurity, not being able to provide children with necessities, not having access to the internet, and can even cause a slip into poverty.
Lack of Quality Time, Help, and Attention - Single parents often have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet and are therefore not always available to their children. These opposing schedules can create a lack of quality time spent together, can lead to the parent not being around when the child needs help, or cause the child to not receive much attention and to spend much time on their own.
Health and Behavioral Issues - Single parents often have to do a lot on their own, so issues can arise with their children’s health and behavior since there is no extra support to help with parenting. Children in single-parent homes can often feel a sense of loss due to the fact that a parent is absent from their lives. These feelings can impact how the child behaves and even lead to issues like aggressive behavior.
Future Issues - Children of single parents are more likely to have issues that continue to affect their lives as they grow up, such as educational attainment and occupational status. While not always the case, growing up in a single-parent home is associated with socioeconomic disadvantages for the child throughout their life.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta aim to serve the children in our communities, especially those suffering from poverty. Over 60% of youth in the Delta live below the poverty line, while 78% of our Club members live in single-parent homes, and 98% of our members qualify for Free & Reduced Lunch at school. Each of our Clubs provides kids with a safe place to play, learn, exercise, and receive nutritious foods. Find out how you can get involved with our organization by signing your child up for a Club, making a donation, or volunteering to help our cause today!