Contrary to popular opinion, the majority do work although often at low paid jobs. The lower wage scale of single households is because the majority are headed by women, who for the most part, usually earn less than their male counterparts. Although the lack of money is usually the biggest and most daunting challenge of parenting solo, the majority do not live in abject poverty. Another surprising statistic is that many of these families are headed by those who are forty years or older. The perception by many that most single parents are very young is usually not the case.

However, when poverty is the case, there is a higher risk of social, behavioural and emotional problems but most children raised in single parent homes do quite well. Other considerations besides family income are the parent’s age, education, attitude, personality and how it relates to parenting, the availability of a family support system and most important of all, good parenting skills.

Single parent families are made up of those who are divorced, separated, who have never been married or grandparents. The percentage of those who have chosen not to be married is growing, as is the group of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.

Statistics suggest that rather than single parenting being the cause of the increase in youth problems, it is more likely that poor parenting is the cause. Poor parenting is as likely to happen when there are two parents as when there is only one parent. Whether it is single households or those with two parents, statistics show that delinquency and youth violence has been increasing steadily since 1970.

Another consideration may be problems that existed in families prior to a divorce or separation that have contributed to problems with children within a single parent home. These could have been the prior existence of family violence, domestic disputes or child abuse that children had been subjected to while in a traditional home setting. These problems are then carried over into the single parent home.

Deprivation, which can include not only poverty but neglect, both physically and emotionally; lack of nurturing, and lack of love can also contribute to youth problems. These problems are not entirely caused by solo parenting; two-parent families very often experience similar difficulties.

Single parenting gets blamed for a lot of society’s woes when in fact statistics show that two-parent families experience similar problems with their children. When it happens in traditional families, the finger is pointed elsewhere, often at society in general, but when it happens within a single-parent household, the blame is placed on the shoulders of the single parent.

Statistics are arrived at in a number of ways. What is considered when statistics are compiled? One organization claims that 80% of rapists with anger issues come from fatherless homes. Is it the fact that they come from fatherless homes or that they have anger issues concerning their fathers? This could be the case in a home where a father resides or doesn’t.

However the majority of statistics suggest that children raised in single parent homes go on to be able to function successfully in society.

Sylvia Behnish has published her first non-fiction novel entitled “Roller Coaster Ride With Brain Injury (For Loved Ones)” which tells of their journey along the path of progress during the year following her partner’s brain injury. Her first fiction book entitled “His Sins”, a three generation family saga is now available. She has also had numerous articles published in newspapers and magazines in both Canada and the United States on subjects relating to family issues, brain injuries and travel.