Single Moms Rock Child Rearing, According to Research
More and more women are considering raising a child on their own. In many countries, it’s possible for women to become pregnant without the help of a partner. However, there might be some concerns about the child growing up without 2 parents. But research says that mothers who are single by choice manage their parental responsibilities just as well as families with 2 parents do.
We at Bright Side think women can handle pretty much anything on their own. Let’s see what the study says about single moms!
The difference between moms who are single by choice and 2-parent families
The study compared the well-being of children who were raised by mothers who chose to be single and those who were raised by both a mom and a dad. They found that there was no difference in their development or in the relationship between the parent and the child. They also found that single mothers were just as emotionally involved in their children’s upbringing and that stress levels were almost the same in both types of families.
The main difference the study found was that single mothers had a better social support system, whether it was from close friends and family members, or teachers and doctors. It’s important to point out that most of the women who participated in the study were financially stable and had received some level of higher education.
Single mothers are just as good as families with 2 parents.
It’s often assumed that it’s not good for a child to be raised by only one parent. And in some cases, this can be true, like when parents decide to get a divorce or if a single-parent household was unintended, for example. But the reason these situations can harm a child’s development isn’t because of the absence of a father. It’s because these things can negatively affect the child-parent relationship.
Divorce often happens out of conflict, and the child has to witness it and everything that comes after. The mom might not be prepared to raise a child on her own and she may not have friends or relatives to support her, which also is unhealthy for a child.
In contrast, when a woman makes an informed decision to raise a child without a father and she knows she’s ready and that she’s got a great support system, it has no negative effect on the child’s well-being.
Single moms are tough.
Even if a woman hasn’t become a single mother by choice, she’s still a great parent if she puts all her heart into raising her child.
- She’s independent. She’s a great role model for her kid because she manages to raise them on her own. And that also means running a household and working.
- She’s strong. Being a parent is a hard job — it can be emotionally draining and sometimes takes 2 parents to find the best way to deal with a child’s bad behavior. Single moms have to go through those hard times without a partner to support them, yet they manage to pull through.
- She doesn’t have to be the bad cop — she can also be the good cop! And it’s better that way because her child won’t see “the enemy” in her. For them, their mom will be someone who can be both strict and loving.
Are you a single mom or were you raised by one? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!
Preview photo credit britneyspears / Instagram, xtina / Instagram