The number of children of single parents continues to escalate in the United States. Changing socioeconomic conditions continue to see the rise of single-parent families where children are given primary care by only one parent. Over the last half a century, the number of children under eighteen years old in single parent families has continued to rise for all races according to the U.S. Department of Commerce as evidenced in the table below:
CHILDREN OF SINGLE PARENTS (All Races)
The literature and tradition views the children of single-parent families as at-risk children, i.e. those more prone to behavior, health, and academic problems. Many studies have been conducted which reinforce the theory that children of single-parent homes are more likely to experience development challenges than children from two-parent homes. The American Academy of Pediatrics list the following risks “Children from single parent homes face an array of risks, ranging from mild cognitive delays in preschoolers to withdrawal and depression in older kids” (Elmer-Dewitt 3).
There are a host of theories provided as to why children of single-parent families appear to be more at-risk than children of two-parent families. Many argue that poverty, lack of time spent with children of working single-parents, and less parental authority encourage these children to push limits and test authority more than children raised in traditional family structures. Many statistic support the fact that children from single-parents families are more prone to commit crime and acts of violence than children from traditional family structures. A lack of adult role models, poverty, low education levels, and a host of other factors contribute to the risk for children of single-parent families. Often these children are left on their own for long periods of time each day. Many of these poor, working parents cannot afford adequate child care and are unable to provide a...