"Single parents make great parents too."
While doing research for Unstable Cradle, I found this statement and it made me think of the stereotype or crutch used not only by parents but children who are products of a single parent home. While I am not a parent, I do not know all the struggles, but I did grow up in a single parent home, and for a while I used the absence of my father as an excuse for decisions I made in life. But that is just it I made those decisions! Yes rowing up with out a father or a mother is extremely difficult, I am not saying not to feel, however do NOT allow those feelings to cripple you. There are so many statics out there that prove growing up without a father can impact lives, from increased dropout rates to being fifteen times more likey to end up in jail. It is known for children who are missing a parent in life to act out, but at the end of the day those are their desicions or mistakes to make. You can not blame your circumstances on the fault of somebody elses lack of responsibility. If you use that sterotypical excuse for you actions a are avading responsibiliy yourself.
People do not realize it takes a village to raise a child, children are sponges and learn from their surrounding. Think about it, who are your child's role model, outside of mommy or daddy? -That is a whole nother post!
I had a student once who would act out beyond belief, he even went so far as to punch another instructor. When we had a confrence with his parent, the mother's excuse was she was a single parent! I grew up in a single parent home as you all know and I was never raised to act in such a manner, and if I did my mother would have repremanded for that choice I made! Not to say I was the perfect child or even that my mother was a perect mother, however my mother was able to be the best parent he could with or without my father. Therefore the statement should not be "single parents make great parents too," instead single parents make great parents!
Never let your PAST depict your FUTURE!!!