Single Mothers and Single Fathers in Society free essay sample

Single Mothers and Fathers are viewed differently. Single Mothers and Single Fathers are very common in present society. Both may have similar responsibilities but are quite differently viewed in society eyes. Single parenting is becoming a mainstay of our culture, and it is interesting to see the effects parenting singles have on American life. Single Mothers and Single Fathers share similar responsibilities in raising a child or children. Both share the responsibility of taking care of the child or children financially. The single parent must provide financially by having a dwelling for them to live in, put food in the children’s stomachs, provide medical, and stability for the child or children. Although the non-custodial parent may pay child support this is not enough to provide for the child or children financially. A Single parent must provide emotional and physical well-being for the child or children. Whether it be the child being picked on at school or doing badly in an athletic event. We will write a custom essay sample on Single Mothers and Single Fathers in Society or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Emotional and physical well-being can be challenging for some single parents, especially if one is of the children are the opposite sex of the parent. A single parent must also provide social and intellectual support to for the child or children, this can become challenging in the teenage years for both single mothers and single fathers. As the child or children get older they face challenges at school or in social settings in general. Single Mothers and Single Fathers also face different challenges in society. Single fathers face challenges different from single mothers. Often people’s thoughts and attitudes are negative and somewhat bias. In schools, doctor’s office, as well as, any type of state agency the treatment toward a male single parent is different. All too common the reaction is, he is a man and we do not trust you. Then what if your child or children are female? That brings about the whole issue of gender and growing up. Most people think that men cannot cook or clean like a woman can. Doctor visits, schools, and state agencies are a different problem, especially for single fathers. The child support office offers little help to single fathers. The child support office seems to act as if it is not as big a deal as single mothers, stated by a friend. Also, the issue of gender is the most challenging for a single father. There are some aspects a single father cannot do for girls which only a mother can. Most of it is in the teenage years after they reach puberty. Single Father cannot give a woman’s point of view for thoughts on relationships, how to do hair, make up, and clothes. They need a role model and an example to go by in order to know how to be a young lady, which is difficult for single fathers to teach them. A single mother is sometimes viewed as irresponsible or selfish for not staying in a bad marriage for the sake of the children, but a single father parenting is seen as some kind of saint even if he instigated the divorce. Single mothers are often criticized because she did not try to work the marriage out, which sometimes in society makes people think she is a failure. The stereotypes of single mothers parenting are different from those of single fathers parenting. If a single father is late for work because of a child, no one thinks about that being the reason. The employer will assume he hit a traffic jam. If a single mother hits a traffic jam and is late, she is viewed as being less dedicated and every action in the workplace is judged against her role as a single mother. It is assumed she must have been late because she was caring for one of her children. Society definitely stereotypes between a single father and a single mother. One is no better than the other but in the world we live in presently, people are very judgmental. Society looks at single parents much more differently than they should. Whatever the case, the task of raising a child or children is not any different for single fathers and single mothers, but the challenges they face are certainly different. Single parents have a hard enough time as is without being judged or stereotyped. In the present-day there are more single parents than there was years ago, but society does not recognize them the same. Most of it seems to stem from stereotypes in earlier generations, the man works all day and the woman stays at home. Maybe it is just an outright refusal to accept the facts. As a single mother, I see the way Single Mothers and Single Fathers are treated differently, firsthand. I believe the way they are treated differently is unfair to both. Single Mothers and Single Fathers are the same and should be treated equally! References Bestler, K. (n. d. ). Single father parenting. Retrieved from www. singlemoms. net Single parenting and today’s society. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. parenting-with-positive-thinking. com/Single-parenting. html