Single Parents
People can become single parents for a variety of reasons. Some may choose this and pursue it through artificial insemination or adoption and others through surrogate motherhood. Others do not plan on having a child or children but it happens due to a lack of birth control. Sometimes single parents become single parents due to unexpected teen pregnancy, or more traumatic experiences such as the death of a spouse, divorce, abandonment, sexual assault, or abuse. Regardless of why a person becomes a single parent, it is a uniquely challenging situation.
Being a single parent comes with many responsibilities which must be faced when bringing up a child, often as the primary caregiver. This can lead many single parents to feel isolated. While dealing with the challenges, both socially and in terms of responsibilities, single parents often feel that they do not have time for companionship or romance.
Many times, single parents suffer from inferior health as compared to households with both parents. This could be in part due to stress. Also, since a single parent household has a single income, children in single parent households are more likely to live in low-income or even poverty situations. This can limit their resources. This lower income can also contribute to the poorer health of single parents. The children can also feel more depressed and stressed in this situation.
Frequency
The amount of single parent homes in Australia is on the rise. In the year 2003, 14% of households were single parent families. In the year 2001, about 31% of Australian children born were born into single parent families. Since the year 2001, the rate of children born to single parents has stayed at a pretty constant 31%.
Living Arrangements
In most cases, only one parent is determined the primary care giver. This is either arranged by the parents or is handled by family law court. As far as where the parent responsible for the primary care of the child responds, there are many different living situations. Some single parents live with their parents or extended family. Others live with other adults or by themselves. Others use government housing with financial assistance. Though not the only options, these are the most common.
In determining who the child resides with, the interest of the child is always put ahead of the parents’ challenges. The majority of children reside with their mothers; however some do reside with their fathers. Mediators and advisors generally suggest an arrangement which will allow the child contact and participation in the child’s life for both parents. Any personal problems between the parents should not hinder child support arrangements or agreements.
Relationships
It has been found that in 2010, 48% of single Australian parents participated in relationships with people outside of their children’s’ other biological parent. Also, 18% of Australian single parents admit to having sexual relationships regularly with the parents of their children, but to whom they are not married. Of these, 12% say they do so due to the fact that they feel lonesome.
Finding Relationships
Many of the above statistics can be very worrying. Single parents can take steps to avoid them. It has been proven that a household with both a mother and father helps children develop better social skills and can improve the whole family’s quality of life. These parent figures do not have to be biological. A single parent can marry a person he or she trusts to become a parent to his or her children and help care for the children.
The Internet
Single parents often find it difficult to interact with other people who don’t understand their challenges. There are many complications and emotional difficulties which single parents have to deal with that other people don’t. The Internet can lead single parents to find other single parents who do understand these challenges. This can lead to the creation of special bonds.
Social networking sites are great for people to connect. Online dating sites also can connect single parents to people who share their outlooks. eHarmony is a dating site specific to Australia and can be used to find your perfect match, whether another single parent or not.