Parenting is a part of raising a child, but not all parents stay together. It is always challenging for single parents to raise their children and taking care of their needs most times. However single parents are no longer depressed or feel helpless like before. Thanks to the services, technology and evolvement. Children raised by single parents can be as disciplined and nourished as any other child. But there are few positive and negative effects of single parenting that needs to be considered in order to understand single parenting. Today we will discuss some pros and cons of single parenting for children.
Positive Effects of Single Parenting on Children
1. Sense of responsibility
The children of single parents become more responsible in shorter span of time because they have seen their parent work hard. Managing all problems single handed is not easy and children learn while observing. Being the sole earners, children also get to know about cost cutting, and responsible spending early in their life. This can have a positive and long term effect on their lifestyle.
2. Positive Environment
Sometimes couples can have arguments and misunderstandings that could lead to negative and unhealthy atmosphere in the home. Being a single parent is beneficial in this term because it helps to avoid argument as there is only one decision maker for the kids. This makes the environment peaceful for children and they have calm and more focussed minds. Single parenting makes things more sorted for children and helps in development at increased speed.
3. Learning about priorities
As single parents, it also makes them hang for putting priorities before their luxuries. They need to have better approach at what is going to work for family and their kids. This makes them more responsible and very crucial to take charge early on. Children of single parents also learn about focussing on major goals rather than looking for something fancier. They tend to have more determined choices in their life as they grow up.
Negative Effects of Single parenting on Kids
When there are positives, there are negatives too. These above mentioned effects may or may not happen depending on the capacity and parenting style. Here are some cons of single parenting that also needs to be considered.
1. Monitory Issues
One of the major challenges for single parents is monitory issues. When you are the only earning member of the family, it becomes difficult for you to manage different types of expenses of children and home. The standard of living can be hugely affected because of monitory problems which are unfortunately more common towards single mothers. In India, there are comparatively less working women than men and also single mothers need to have a very strong stance in their society. Therefore it is never easy raising children alone and taking care of all the expenses that come with it.
2. Emotional Issues
No matter how independent a person is, the absence of a partner cannot be fulfilled. This also impacts their children because both parents are needed for emotional balance of the child. Sometimes in divorce situations, children get confused with whom to live with and this may give them emotional trauma if they are very young. It may also lead to detachment of children from one of their parent, which is not healthy for their growth. Hence these type of equations may affect children’s mental health.
3. Poor performance
It is very tricky, children of single parents can be either very determined or can be very lazy. This is because it is not always that single parents are able to give attention to their children because of getting involved in other issues. Children face loss of focus and concentration due to separation. It impacts children’s minds and they seem to get lost in their own thoughts. This leads them to loss of interest in participation of activities as well as poor performance.
4. Rebellious Behaviour
One of the biggest downside of being single parent while raising children is related to behavioural problems in kids. There is a strong possibility that children may not listen to you and try to be rebellious in nature. This can be because of varied reasons but majorly it affects children who have seen tensions growing between both parents and then separation. This makes them more self-centred and thus children do not respect their parents and try to take situations in their own hands.
