What is the main reason why children raised by one parent do not do as well as children raised by two parents on average?
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As former chief executive officer of Public Prep, a role he held for ten years, Ian Rowe provided the strategic direction for the nation’s first and oldest non-profit network that exclusively develops exceptional, tuition-free Pre-K and single-sex elementary and middle public charter schools, educating more than 2,000 students in New York City. Rowe is now a Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he… View Full Bio Sign Up to Receive Fordham UpdatesWe'll send you quality research, commentary, analysis, and news on the education issues you care about. Although numbers are rapidly increasing, the children of single parents still have a questionable role in society. Convention still rules as schools, religious establishments, the media and most government entities continue to define the ideal family as comprised of two happily married, heterosexual biological parents living with their children. Such conservative
ideas can run afoul of many families living in the United States that don’t conform to the formula. The reality is that single-parent families constitute a large portion of our population. Whether or when society decides to reevaluate their definition of family is unclear. The more pressing issue at hand is whether or not there are negative effects on the children of single-parent families.Getting Concrete Answers Differentiating between the different groups is important because family dynamics vary depending on how children arrived at their circumstances. For example, in his article published in The Future of Children, Amato writes that children of divorced parents that were not aware of their parents’ marital difficulties suffer greater adverse effects than those who have been exposed to the ongoing deterioration of their parents’ relationship.Certain studies show that black children do not seem to suffer as greatly from the effects of single-parent families than white children do. This result could be due to a higher percentage of children born to single black women than to single white women. Therefore, most of the black children surveyed were born into single-parent families while most white children entered the lifestyle due to a traumatic loss (such as divorce).Sociologists undoubtedly do their best to consider all possible variables before providing answers to complicated questions. Sometimes various stages of research yield similar results that researchers accept as evidence. At other times, one study contradicts the findings of another.Arlene Skolnick (a research psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley) and Stacey Rosencranz (a graduate student at Stanford University) worked together on a study monitoring the effects of divorce on children. The project results revealed that, though the single-parent lifestyle is associated with many problems facing children, the causes to the problems themselves lie elsewhere. Common Findings Single-parent families usually have less disposable income for additional educational assistance such as tutoring, buying computers or reference materials for the home. Because of the limited funds, children from these households are also less likely to
be involved in extra-curricular activities, which can hinder their chances of getting a scholarship.A lack of disposable income also means that children suffer material disadvantages, often suffering from scorn or mockery by financially stable peers that instills a negative outlook of themselves and their lifestyle.Sociologists imply that children of single parents oftentimes receive less effective parenting and discipline. Parents Without Partners states that the
number of single parents working full-time has increased. Some single mothers even work two jobs. When one individual is working and balancing the requirements of overseeing the household, it seems reasonable that she will have less time and energy to monitor her children and act as a disciplinarian. However, if she were not working so hard, she would have more time and energy.While no one is going to state that it is best for children to live in single-parent families, it appears
clear that most adverse effects stem, not from the absence of a particular parent, but from financial strain.Not All Negative However, single-parent homes now report higher incomes than they did in the past.Henry Ricciuti of Cornell University concludes that being a single parent does not have a negative effect on behavior or educational performance. What matters most is the mother’s education and ability level, family income and the quality of the home environment.Because children have only one parent does not mean that they are doomed or that their lives will be riddled with problems and they will have poor, miserable adulthoods. Certified parent coach Jennifer Wolf notes that the situation can help children develop positive life skills.“Spending quality one-on-one time with your kids allows you to develop a unique bond that may actually be stronger than it would have been if you were not a single parent,” she says.As we move further into the new millennium, traditional ideas of family and values will be questioned. More modern incarnations and definitions of family will come into being, and some family structures will raise more questions and stir debate among opposing sides. Right now, the only concrete evidence that children of single parents suffer significantly more disadvantages than children from two-parent households is a matter of finance. Society will continue to be less than ideal, and there will always be children who live in single parent homes. Perhaps answers to these children’s needs will not be found by focusing on how negatively their family situation affects them, but rather on how they can better their situation in life. What might be one reason why researchers have difficulty calculating the rate of childlessness?What might be one reason why researchers have difficulty calculating the rate of childlessness? Women are having their first child at an older average age, making it difficult to decide at what point someone is childless.
Which sociological perspective sees the family as performing important tasks that contribute to society's basic needs?Thus, the essence of the functionalist view of the family is that the family performs several essential functions for society. Families socialize children, provide emotional and practical support for their members, regulate sexual activity and reproduction, and provide members with a social identity.
What is true about remarriages?On the whole, remarriages are associated with greater socioeconomic security and life satisfaction compared to remaining divorced or separated. People who remarry tend to have better adjustment to their divorce, reporting more positive evaluations of their lives compared to divorced individuals who remain single.
Which of the following best describes the changes in household size throughout the history of the United States?Which of the following best describes the changes in household size throughout the history of the United States? The nuclear family seems to have long been preeminent, with household sizes shrinking only modestly over the past few centuries.
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