Some of the ways single parenting has changed over the years:

* Now there are more males doing single parenting as well as females
* Single mothers are buying more homes than before
* There are less single mothers on welfare and more in the workforce
* There are more organizations to help single parents

In the past, many single parent households were primarily headed by a female. Now, more and more fathers are getting custody of their children. It will be interesting to see how this affects the basic male stereotypes that are inherent in American culture. It's becoming more and more accepted to be a "Mr. Mom." But how this will affect the workforce that has primarily seen child care as the province of women remains to be seen.

It is a fact in real estate, that more single women than single men are buying homes by themselves. Good portions of these women are single parenting. A home is not only a source of pride and security, but it becomes a hedge against poverty for many single mothers. Many of these single parenting households are changing the features that builders are offering in new homes with maintenance packages and safety features being the most important.

Ever since welfare for single mothers was cut back, more and more women who are doing single parenting have joined the workforce. Although it is still an uphill battle to make workplaces more family-friendly, there is a growing acknowledgement that this is important. There are programs now for flexible day care spending accounts and some companies even have on-site daycare. There is also a growing movement to point out the inequalities in the workplace when it comes to married people versus singles versus single parents.

It seems the first generation of single parents weren't satisfied with the services that the federal and state governments provided to them. Many of these same people have started their own non-profits with aims of reaching down and pulling the single mothers up from poverty or situations that keep them impoverished. Many of these programs aim to provide assistance to women in home-ownership, education, and careers. All one has to do is browse the Internet to find resources online to help single parents in this day and age of growing need.

These are just a few areas where single mothers and fathers are putting their mark on society. There are bound to be many more as the years progress.

The Good

Before we get into the bad child effects single parenting might have on minors, its good to note than many single parent households have positive effects on children. If a single parent household was established to remove a spouse that was making the household environment hostile due to drugs, alcohol, or an abusive nature, then the children may feel relieved to be out of that situation. It can provide a new lease on life for the parent and the children and actually promote healthy growth.

The positive child effects single parenting can is to make them more independent and self-reliant. They grow up with a more practical bent on life and are determined to make their way and survive. Children in single parent households tend to be more mature and seek to establish long-term relationships in the future.

The Bad

The bad child effects single parenting can have on children range from emotional disturbances to cognitive deficiencies. A divorce or death of a spouse can produce feelings of abandonment or guilt. In the case of divorce, if the conflict continues to be maintained between spouses, the child can have torn loyalties between parents and may lie to one to please the other.

And, The Ugly

Then, of course, the truly ugly effects of single parenting can be a lack of educational or economic opportunity for the child, no same sex role models, and a lack of support systems for their continued care. These, in turn, establish some indications that the effects single parenting has are complex and long lasting.

In this day and age, there are more and more households are being established as single parent households. They don't all have to fall into the negative stereotypes and learning what possible effects this choice can have on a child can only help in the long run.

Many of the factors that contribute to producing bad effects can be addressed through a good community support system. In addition, if a primary caregiver is aware of the possible effects a divorce or death can have on her children, he or she is better able to find the resources to help them meet those needs and overcome these obstacles to go on to have a better life.

Some of the ways single parenting has changed over the years:

* Now there are more males doing single parenting as well as females
* Single mothers are buying more homes than before
* There are less single mothers on welfare and more in the workforce
* There are more organizations to help single parents

In the past, many single parent households were primarily headed by a female. Now, more and more fathers are getting custody of their children. It will be interesting to see how this affects the basic male stereotypes that are inherent in American culture. It's becoming more and more accepted to be a "Mr. Mom." But how this will affect the workforce that has primarily seen child care as the province of women remains to be seen.

It is a fact in real estate, that more single women than single men are buying homes by themselves. Good portions of these women are single parenting. A home is not only a source of pride and security, but it becomes a hedge against poverty for many single mothers. Many of these single parenting households are changing the features that builders are offering in new homes with maintenance packages and safety features being the most important.

Ever since welfare for single mothers was cut back, more and more women who are doing single parenting have joined the workforce. Although it is still an uphill battle to make workplaces more family-friendly, there is a growing acknowledgement that this is important. There are programs now for flexible day care spending accounts and some companies even have on-site daycare. There is also a growing movement to point out the inequalities in the workplace when it comes to married people versus singles versus single parents.

It seems the first generation of single parents weren't satisfied with the services that the federal and state governments provided to them. Many of these same people have started their own non-profits with aims of reaching down and pulling the single mothers up from poverty or situations that keep them impoverished. Many of these programs aim to provide assistance to women in home-ownership, education, and careers. All one has to do is browse the Internet to find resources online to help single parents in this day and age of growing need.

These are just a few areas where single mothers and fathers are putting their mark on society. There are bound to be many more as the years progress.

The U.S. Census

The census is taken twice every 10 years (dicennial) and the last was in the year 2000. The findings from the U.S. Census from 1970, when it was first established, to 2000 indicates that the number of female single family households has increased steadily over the years, with mothers who have never been married now outnumbering single female heads of households that have divorced.

In the 2000 Census it is estimated that 54.5 million were married couple households. Another 12.9 million were female single parent head of households. This outnumbered the male single parent household by 3 to 1, with male single parenting averaging 4.4 million households. This was a 10% increase in single female parent households and a 23% increase in single male parent households since the 1990 Census.

The Current Population Survey

This survey shows the same trends. Traditional family households with two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption decreased from 85% to 68% throughout the U.S. At the same time there was an increase in single parenting statistics from 9% to 28% overall.

The American Community Survey

This survey had some of the more interesting single parenting statistics. It followed the same trends, but was also able to break them down by states in some cases. In 2003 it was estimated that four cities actually had approximately 50% of female-headed households as compared to the total respondents of this survey. They were: Detroit, Newark, Cleveland, and Baltimore.

In addition, these single parenting statistics broke down the poverty levels from single female heads of households by ethnicity. In 2003, Hispanics and American Indians were at 46% and 47% respectively in the poverty category of female heads of households. Black female heads of household were at 42% and White Non-Hispanics at 29%. These parenting statistics clearly show the link between poverty and single heads of households.

Many different agencies use these single parenting statistics to determine need and demographics of their constituents. The Department of Education uses it to decide where to issue grants in high poverty areas. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses it to pinpoint programs for low-income housing assistance. Other social programs like the Nation School Lunch Program and even Social Security look at these parenting statistics to help meet the needs of households that are at risk for living in poverty.

The Good

Before we get into the bad child effects single parenting might have on minors, its good to note than many single parent households have positive effects on children. If a single parent household was established to remove a spouse that was making the household environment hostile due to drugs, alcohol, or an abusive nature, then the children may feel relieved to be out of that situation. It can provide a new lease on life for the parent and the children and actually promote healthy growth.

The positive child effects single parenting can is to make them more independent and self-reliant. They grow up with a more practical bent on life and are determined to make their way and survive. Children in single parent households tend to be more mature and seek to establish long-term relationships in the future.

The Bad

The bad child effects single parenting can have on children range from emotional disturbances to cognitive deficiencies. A divorce or death of a spouse can produce feelings of abandonment or guilt. In the case of divorce, if the conflict continues to be maintained between spouses, the child can have torn loyalties between parents and may lie to one to please the other.

And, The Ugly

Then, of course, the truly ugly effects of single parenting can be a lack of educational or economic opportunity for the child, no same sex role models, and a lack of support systems for their continued care. These, in turn, establish some indications that the effects single parenting has are complex and long lasting.

In this day and age, there are more and more households are being established as single parent households. They don't all have to fall into the negative stereotypes and learning what possible effects this choice can have on a child can only help in the long run.

Many of the factors that contribute to producing bad effects can be addressed through a good community support system. In addition, if a primary caregiver is aware of the possible effects a divorce or death can have on her children, he or she is better able to find the resources to help them meet those needs and overcome these obstacles to go on to have a better life.

While most single parenting households are created by divorce or death, there are some women who are becoming single mothers by choice. The reasons are that they consider themselves economically and emotionally ready to have children, but have not found an adequate mate. Rather than marry and risk a potential divorce, they opt for artificial insemination. The advantages of single parenting for these women is that they can cheat the biological clock and have children despite the fact that they are not married. This makes the risk of growing too old to have children less of an issue for successful career women who are having difficulty finding a mate.

Another demographic of single parents is those that were in relationships that did not provide a good environment for the children. These partners may turn out to be abusive or who are chemically dependent or hostile. In such situations, becoming a single parent may be seen as the worst of two evils and the choice is pretty straightforward. It becomes evident that the spouse needs to be removed from the household for the safety of the mother and the children. In this case the advantages of single parenting are security, a stable household, and a chance to mold a family away from poor influences or violence.

Some advantages of single parenting are not influenced by demographics or culture. They're inherent in the role of single households. For instance, a single household, in comparison to a married household, does not have two decision-makers. They also don't have two earners, but there are no conflicts of interest as to how to spend the money once it is earned. The economic advantages of single parenting are that you are no longer tied to your spouse's debts, as well as their assets. If you were married, you would share in the assets, but also be liable for the debts. So, although money is a key issue for single parents, it's still easier to manage and plan for the future with only one person spending and making the financial decisions.

If you are single parenting and you child is getting ready to go off to college, there are advantages of single parenting versus being married. You may not have to claim the income of your former spouse on the FAFSA form. This might make your child eligible for need-based grants or other monies that have stringent income limitations.

Obviously these facts are for taking a bad situation and making it come out to your advantage. Most people do not go into single parenting hoping for advantages. They go into it because of lack of choice. But, once there, it is prudent to understand what advantages are available to investigate and use.

Your Little Black Book

Bachelors have them. You should too if you want to follow some good single parenting advice. This is not about your dating, life. This is about the caregivers, neighbors, teachers, friends, basically anyone who can lend a helping hand when times get tough. In this day and age when almost everyone has a cell phone, your network of people should be available in a pinch. To do this, you need to take down names and numbers and add them to your cell phone address book.

At home, this information should even list the insurance policy providers and account numbers and all information on co-payments and claims as well as receipts of payments. This not only helps to locate random baby-sitters but also should help you keep track of expenses during the year and at the end when it comes to tax time. To be organized when you are a single parent is the best single parenting advice one can take.

The Ever-Present Schedule

One of the most frustrating things about single parenting, particularly if there is an ex-spouse involved, is the custody schedule. It can drive divorced people to insanity trying to determine who has the minor children and when. Since many single parents are working, a slip-up in the custody schedule can result in loss of time at work, an almost inexcusable fault these days. A late pick-up or missed pick-up or drop-off can also result in tardiness or having to leave the office early. How do we keep these interruptions from affecting our work performance? It's imperative that any single parenting advice include mention of the custody schedule, a device which should be described in great detail in any separation or divorce agreement prior to your first pick-up or drop-off.

Things to decide in the custody schedule are the drop-off and pick-up times and place. In addition, all holidays, birthdays and Mother's and Father's day need to be outlined in detail along with drop-off and pick-up times. Should emergencies arise in the school, it's important the school is aware of both parent's emergency contact information and the parent whose custody time it is should take care of the emergency arrangements while notifying the other.

Don't Skimp On Meals

No matter what age your children are, they're always hungry. Whether they're crying for a bottle or asking what's for dinner, they always seem to be looking for something to eat. And have you ever noticed that when you're hungry, your mood gets worse? It's the same with kids. It may be tempting to skip meals here and there to get more time, or eat junk food on the run, but it doesn't work. Eventually, these poor diet habits come back to bite you in the butt and the family becomes isolated scroungers instead of cooperative homebuilders.

Take some single parenting advice and learn to sit down for your main meal at night, where you can hear what's really going on in your kid's lives. If you're too tired to cook, there are many different healthy prepared options available in the grocers now ranging from cooked roasted chickens to pre-made salads. Have the kids help with loading the dishwasher or fixing the food, if they're not too young. This type of family time is not only healthy it can also deepen connections and instill good work ethics in your own children. These connections will pay dividends when the real difficult issues crop up by having established an open communication with your kids in a comfortable environment prior to needing it.

Successful Single Parenting Ingredients You Will Need

A Dependable Income
Multi-tasking skills
Patience (lots of it)
Community and family support
Faith in yourself

A Dependable Income

Successful single parenting takes money. It is true that many women struggle to make ends meet when they are single mothers, even when they work. However, without a steady and dependable income, single parenting is impossible. Whether the income comes from child support payments, a steady job, a business, renting a room in your house, or even familial support – it doesn't matter. Children take an enormous amount of financial resources to nurture and raise. From the minute they are using up expensive diapers to the day they are asking for money for school trips and special outfits, children are expensive. The best way to meet that challenge is to have a dependable income, preferably from multiple sources.

Multi-Tasking Skills

There's no doubt about it. If you are a single parent, whether you have an infant or a teen-ager in the home, multi-tasking is a must. You might be called upon to chauffer the kids to and from daycare or school, arrange their lunches and medicines, set up backup pickups in case school lets out early or the kid gets sick, and then arrive at work eager to get to work. You may have actually started working two hours before, but no one else will know that.

Patience

That's where patience comes in. It's amazing how little appreciation a single parent gets. Single parenting is a full-time job with no pay and benefits reaped only after years of service. No one who hasn't been there seems to understand the degree of patience it takes to do this job and to do it well. The next generation of human beings depends on it.

The children may sometimes also become exasperated with the difficulty of the situation. Have patience with them and with yourself. Successful single parenting calls for you to set an example that at times may seem inhumanly possible, but upon looking back you realized you did it anyway.

Community And Family Support

If you're not physically present with your children, they are on your mind 24/7. This can become emotionally challenging. In the situation where you need help because your child is stuck at school in a snowstorm and you are 40 miles away and unable to reach them, how do you get your children home? You have to turn to community. Either neighbors you trust, or people you've hired. Family support can offer a caregiver a needed break so they can recharge their batteries and b ready to face another day. In successful single parenting the old saying is true: It takes a village to raise a child.

Faith In Yourself

There comes a time in every single parents life where they feel like they've failed as a single parent. Single parenting is tough! Have faith in yourself. As you learn to overcome obstacles and stop comparing your situation to other traditional families, you may find that your own style of home is not only fine it is just wonderful.

Children who grow up in a traditional home often are shielded from the adult problems and issues that they may be forced to face alone when they grow up. In single parent households, children will grow up understanding relationships shift and change, that there is such a thing as a budget, and that hard work often pays off where dumb luck isn't present.

Granted, some experts see this as a disadvantage and bemoan the sorry state of our divorce-prone society, but there is a possibility that effects of single parenting might be beneficial to single parents with children. These children grow up understanding that marriage is an option and not a necessity and may choose their partners more carefully. They also will understand that they need to learn to support themselves and not rely on marriage to save them. This will keep them solvent in the event they also suffer the loss of a spouse by death or divorce in the future.

Most of the negative effects of single parenting associated to the lack of a partner in the household are actually determined more by the lack of financial and social resources. Unfortunately, many single parents are vulnerable to poverty and are openly discriminated against in this society. However, those that have a good income and have a wealth of social and familial support around seem to instill a model of self-reliance and optimism that the children soon adopt as their own.

You can spot the child of a loving and successful single parenting household. They will be sensitive to the economic aspects of any purchase they want. They will offer to help others and be less self-centered and more giving. They will often attempt to do things on their own without realizing that someone might think they're too young for that. They will often make their own social or school arrangements and before you know it, they've scheduled themselves for driver's education and gotten their driver's permit. They have a great deal of initiative to be self-reliant.

To reap the benefits of these life lessons and promote positive effects of single parenting on children instead of the negative ones that permeate the media, one must learn to include the other partner, even though not in the household, in most of the child's activities. This provides the child with a network of support for them, even if it is not available for either parent. Where one parent may not want to share economic resources with another, they will gladly share it with their children who may have the initiative to ask.

Parents and grandparents, and even trusted neighbors can be helpful to give the child the means to pursue their goals with enough support to guide them. These children grow with a more realistic view of the world and what it takes to survive as effects of single parenting. They are ingenious, creative, and quite self-sufficient. They are survivors and the strength and determination with which they step out into the world is sure to reap dividends for them in the future.

A single father parenting a child is somehow perceived to be:

* Selfless
* Dedicated
* Warm
* Responsible
* Capable

In the job market, if a single father has children, no one asks them to take less money for a job because the employer has to pay health care for the single father parenting a child. In fact an employer probably doesn't even ask if they are married or have children in the interview unlike many businesses in different states that are now openly discriminating against single mothers. They are never questioned about their dedication to the job or if they think they can manage their responsibilities while being a single parent.

The stereotypes of single mothers parenting are different than those of a single father parenting. If a single father is late for work because junior spit up on his suit and he had to change, no one thinks that's the reason. They assume he hit a traffic jam due to an accident. However, if a single mother hits a traffic accident 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. In other words, it is assumed she must have been late because she was caring for one of her children. No one puts a single father parenting on to the "Daddy Track" at work, but many women are side-railed onto the "Mommy Track" and their chances for promotion suffer.

A single father parenting may want the same rights as a single mother to have custody of the children, however, he doesn't want to give up the obvious advantages that come with being male in this society, in terms of earning power and workplace status and with all the stereotypes that plays into. He still wants to be perceived as totally dedicated to his work and able to multitask and manage his office and home life no matter what the demands.

How will single fathers change the stereotypes in the workplace? It would be nice to think that single fathers would prove that discriminating against a single parent, whether male or female, is unacceptable. However, if the inequalities in the perception of males versus female caregivers are not addressed, the stereotypes will not only persist, but also become somewhat lopsided.

Will single fathers reach out to single mothers and help them in workplace or is this just another case of what's goose for the goose is not good for the gander? With a growing number of men seeking custody of their children, it will be interesting to see how the stereotypes are remolded. If society is willing to accept that a single father is making huge sacrifices and performing a valuable service to the community and their children, why shouldn't the same respect be given to women who must be the sole breadwinners for their families too?