6 Single Parenthood Facts You Should Know

Last Updated on January 18, 2024 by Lori Pace

Even though you share responsibilities, parenting is difficult enough on its own. Single parenting is more challenging. While you have to manage guilt, doubt, fear, and negative emotions simultaneously, your family responsibilities will also need your attention. Depression is inevitable when you have custody of your children. Statistics, in facts, show that between 40-50 percent and 50% of marriages end in divorce, resulting in single parenthood cases. No matter how mutually agreed you are to co-parent, certain parenting facts will never change.

Single Parenthood Facts

Double Challenges

When you were married, you had someone to look up to; now there is no one to help you. You previously had someone to tap your back and assure you that everything is fine. You now have to handle it yourself. Your spouse will be the one to whom your family and friends give support. You are also judged by society for not being patient enough, and your marriage didn’t last.

If you have two families earning the same income, your spouse may not be able to handle them both. Sometimes you may have to work longer hours in order to cover the deficit. It is possible to give up on the task at hand. You may have to reduce your visits to salons and massage parlors.

You may have the money, but you need to be accountable for your financial management. This is when you realize you are better off being with your partner than alone.

Loneliness Is Real

Did you know that there is a certain level of companionship that you can only get from your partner? Is it intimacy you crave? What keeps your body warm on cold nights? How can you have nobody to share holidays with? However, this is single parenting. You will find yourself back in the same place you left off, a lonely house.

Single parents tend to put their children’s needs first, and neglect their own needs. However, not putting yourself first can cause exhaustion and inadequacy. Single parents can lead a life of unhealthy eating, insufficient rest, and poor exercise. They don’t realize the importance of being well-equipped and properly-nourished to care for their children.

The empty nest syndrome is more common in single parents. This is just one of many interesting facts about parenting. A single parent is more likely than a two-parent household to feel loneliness and fear at the loss of their child.

Children Are Adversely Affected

For fear of causing their children emotional distress, some couples choose to remain in unhappy marriages. How do you deal with your son or daughter who jumps on mom’s lap and dad’s shoulder simultaneously?

However, they shouldn’t see you in pain all the time. This is the problem parents faced before single parenting. Negative emotions in children can have a negative impact on their personality development, which can lead to low self-esteem, isolation, bitterness and resentment.

Parents who try to parent all by themselves may make the wrong impression. Instilling discipline that is not sustainable may be the only option.

It is obvious that you should always keep the interests of your children in mind. You don’t have to be together, but you can work together for the emotional fulfillment of your children without focusing on your own interests.

Single Parent Discrimination At Work

Discrimination may occur at work for single parents, particularly if they are raising their child alone. Here are some facts about single mothers working. The following are reasons single mothers face hostile work environments:

• Women colleagues are jealous of their female colleagues because they perceive favorable treatment
• Misogynist mindset
• Historical prejudice
• They receive unsolicited advice.
• Due to the dual responsibilities of a single mother, unfavorable hiring policies may be applied that exclude single mothers with children.

Unmarried couples earn more than single-parent families, which is one of the most striking facts about single-parent families. The weekly earnings of married couples are 25 percent more than that of single-parent families.

This gap is even wider when you consider the income of married couples and their families. The weekly earnings of married couples are 50 percent more than those of single mothers.

Single Parenthood Facts Are That They Become High Strung

Single parents may become hyperactive due to their responsibilities and constant stress. They might vent anger or yell at people and objects around them. Single parents, in facts, are known for their inability to cope with stress.

These parents should seek out counseling from a mental healthcare expert to learn how to cope with stress and to find healthy ways to overcome it. Single parents, whether out of necessity or choice, take on too much to organize and manage their lives. 

They fail to reach out to their support network, friends, colleagues, or parents. They often fall for the idea that they are all alone. One of the best parenting tips is to seek out support and to invest in meaningful friendships.

Single Parenthood Is Stressful But Rewarding Facts

Even though it can be difficult and stressful, a divorced, widowed, or single-by-choice parent family can be very rewarding. They often end up being a positive role model for their children because they have seen how their single parents overcome the obstacles in their life.

Single parents continue to rise up to the challenge and do their best. They learn resilience, perseverance, and resourcefulness to get through tough times. Parents can sometimes need extra support with their daily lives. Their overall health can be affected by the many responsibilities they have.

Many support groups and resources are available for single parents. They offer support, counseling, and emotional processing. You can also build a new family by adopting a positive outlook.