Introduction
Hey dear single parent! I know that every single parent tries their best to raise their child, but sometimes it feels like it’s impossible to cope with the situation. Single parent more often struggles through poverty and financial crisis. They don’t have enough money or enough help, and they don’t know where to turn.
But have faith. Remind yourself that “I am not alone”. There are millions of single parents out there who are fighting the same battle every day. And while the challenges can seem uncontrollable, there are solutions as well. In this post, we’ll take a look at the challenges faced by single-parent families living in poverty, some of the ways that different countries are working to support them, and solutions for solo parents to get rid of poverty.
Definition of a Single-Parent Family
When most people think of a single-parent family, they imagine a mother struggling to raise her children on her own. And while this is certainly one type of single-parent family, it’s by no means the only one.
There are plenty of fathers out there who are raising their children on their own, and there are also many families where both parents are present, but one is doing the majority of the parenting. So, what does a single-parent family look like?
Simply put, it’s a family where there is only one parent responsible for the care and upbringing of the children. This definition can be further broken down into two categories: nuclear and blended.
A nuclear family is when the parents are married and living together with their children. A blended family is when the parents are divorced or separated and have combined their families into one unit.
Causes of Single parenting
The biggest reason behind single parenting is the lifestyle of couples. The couples live with each other without getting married. More often these couples end up breaking up and the only partner usually the mother is left to up bring the child. This lifestyle has brought a major problem for the children. They usually end up having a financial crisis.
It is alarming for the family structure. In most studies, it is found that single-parent families are more prone to poverty than dual-parent families.
Poverty related to single-parenting families vary from country to country. Some countries give support to single parents and their families.
How Different Countries Support Single-Parent Families
So what about families in other countries? How do they support single-parent families?
Well, it varies from country to country. In some places, the government provides financial assistance to single-parent families. In others, some programs offer free or discounted childcare or help with housing or food.
Interestingly, some countries have more generous programs than others. For example, in Sweden, the government provides a monthly stipend to single-parent families, which can be used to pay for things like childcare or housing. And in Canada, the government offers a number of tax breaks and credits to help single-parent families.
It’s clear that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to supporting single-parent families. But we must find ways to help these families get by, especially when they’re facing such difficult challenges.
Most South Eastern countries don’t support single-parent families. They have to struggle more to make the ends meet. Solo parents living in such countries suffer the most. They have nearly no facility to provide for their children. Such children eagerly wish to live in a dual-parent family.
The Challenges Faced by Single-Parent Families
When we talk about a single parent, the challenges can seem unconquerable. These parents try to do everything on their own, and often the load exceeds their tolerance power of them.
The statistics are sobering. In Scotland, around 230,000 children are living in poverty out of which 90,000 are in lone families. 144,000 single parents have dependent children and they are mainly headed by single mothers (90%).
So, what are the challenges faced by these families? Let’s take a look:
Inadequate housing
This is a huge issue for single-parent families. They are more likely to live in poverty and be homeless than in two-parent families.
Inadequate income:
It’s often hard for single parents to make enough money to support their families. This can lead to food insecurity and other health issues.
Lack of access to resources:
Single parents often don’t have access to affordable childcare, transportation, or healthcare. This can make it difficult to get by day-to-day.
Single parents face more challenges in their life but the solution guide may help them in this journey.
These are just some of the challenges that single parents face daily. But there are solutions, too. Here are a few ways that we can help support these families:
1. Provide affordable housing: This is a critical need for single-parent families. We need to provide more affordable housing options that can meet their needs.
2. Increase access to resources: We need to make sure that single parents have access to affordable childcare, transportation, and healthcare. This will help them get by day-to-day.
3. Offer financial assistance: Many single parents struggle financially. We need to provide more financial assistance so they can afford to live without struggling constantly.
Poverty stories shared by single parents
In a study of Scotland, some people shared their stories about being single parents and how they were exposed to financial crisis and poverty. A woman who had a 10-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter shared that she was a childcare worker. And her aunt used to look after her son, but once her aunt got ill and she end up giving up the job. But before having her son, she still had some money for bringing up her daughter, but after the birth of her son, she could not give enough facilities to him.
The effects of poverty on children of single parents
Every child is affectionate towards a thing and has no interest in others. Every kid dream about the things that are sometimes not available to them, or their single parents are unable to get those facilities available to their kids. Poverty is something no one dreams about. But it is gifted in this way or the other. Poverty brings challenges for single-parent families.
Let’s discuss how it affects the children of single parents:
Poverty kills the dreams of innocents:
Children see other children being raised by dual parents having more facilities. It gives rise to a complex in them. They start cursing at their fate. These negative feelings start growing in their minds and consequently, these negativities can bring them into some undesirable habits. Children in most countries are brought up by single parents who are unable to afford the expenses
Lose confidence:
Children of single parents burdened with poverty lose their confidence. They start seeking children of dual parents. These children lose their confidence. The self-esteem of such kids gets a great hit. They think of being children of single parents as a shame.
Thirst for dual-parent love:
These children create a big thirst for the love of dual parents. Being a child of single parent start becoming a curse for them. They are being trolled by their fellows for this. It becomes their insecurity.
Stop believing in relationships:
Children of lone parents usually stop believing in relationships after hitting by the consequences. They develop the perception of the relationship as being a punishment. These children want to run away from relationships.
Deprive of celebrating Mother’s/ Father’s Day:
The biggest problem for these children is not being able to celebrate Father’s Day if they live with their mother and vice versa. These days are a gift for parents as well as their children, but a punishment for the children living with single parents. It highlights their deprivation.
Hurtful feelings:
Such children get hurt by this fact. They don’t accept this harsh reality. They become more sensitive towards this relationship of parents. They always desire to live in a dual-parent family.
The Impact of Single-Parent Families on Poverty
One might not know this, but single-parent families are more likely to live in poverty. In fact, according to the National Centre for Children in Poverty, almost half of all children living in poverty are from single-parent families.
What’s causing this? There are a lot of factors responsible. For one, many single parents are working two or three jobs just to make ends meet. And then there’s the fact that single parents often don’t have the same level of support that two-parent families have.
This can lead to a lot of struggles, from not being able to afford basic needs like food and clothing to not having someone to help with childcare or homework. And unfortunately, these struggles can have a lifelong impact on a child.
Most single parents are humiliated by society, and they are judged very harshly. People living in such societies barely get support from them. Some companies don’t allow a married woman to work, because it might be a thing of disturbance for them. Anyhow, such parents are exposed to poverty because of some unmeant rules being created by the owners.
How to Help Reduce Poverty for Single-Parent Families
So what can be done to help reduce poverty for single-parent families? Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, as the solutions will vary from country to country. Sharing some ideas to get started:
1. Make sure that single-parent families have access to affordable housing. This is a big issue in many countries, as the cost of rent or mortgages can be prohibitive.
2. Help single parents find affordable childcare. This can be a huge challenge, as the cost of quality care can be prohibitive.
3. Promote education and training opportunities for single parents. This will help them qualify for better-paying jobs.
4. Provide financial assistance to single-parent families. This can be in the form of cash assistance, food stamps, or other benefits.
5. Help create social support systems for single parents. This could include things like parenting classes, support groups, or mentorship programs.
Solutions to Reduce Poverty for Single-Parent Families
So, what can be done to help reduce poverty for single-parent families? Here are a few solutions that have been proven to work in different countries.
1. Provide affordable housing. This is a huge issue, especially in big cities. There are often long waiting lists for public housing, and the rents can be astronomical.
2. Offer free or low-cost childcare. This is a critical service for single-parent families since both parents need to be able to work to make ends meet.
3. Create more jobs that pay a liveable wage. Too many single-parent families are stuck in low-paying jobs that don’t cover basic expenses.
4. Improve access to education and training programs. This can help single parents get the skills they need to find better-paying jobs.
5. Increase social assistance benefits. This can help reduce the amount of stress and financial insecurity that comes with being a single parent.
Work-at-home solutions for single mothers:
Work-from-home opportunities provide a charm to solo-parent families. Because most single mothers don’t want to go out for earning, they have their kids at home whom they can’t leave alone at home. So, these parents choose to work at home. Sharing some easy ways to work at home, earning a handsome amount of money. For earning money, we don’t necessarily need a thousand dollars of investment. Some skills that pay a heavy amount of money if utilized in the best way possible:
1. Copywriting:
Copywriting doesn’t demand anything other than writing skills. Everyone has a hidden talent. The need is to find and polish it. If you love to write things, it can be easy for you to write and earn. Copywriting is one of the skills which may get a family out of poverty. Write about those topics which grasp your interest. Now, advertise it and get an audience, people who will read your content.
One can write sponsored posts on behalf of other companies or sell their products or services.
2. Marketing on social media:
It is another biggest opportunity for single mothers or father who doesn’t want to go out for earning. Some businesses need a person to manage their social media accounts, which can be done easily at home. But we need to have experience with the platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. This can prove to be a good source of income.
It only requires internet access and a few hours each day. We can search for such jobs on sites like Upwork and some others.
3. YouTube channel:
YouTube is a healthy platform for earning money. Not only vloggers and gamers, but any person can join this platform for earning money, It just demands engaging videos. Make a channel on YouTube, once your audience is established, you are good to go.
4. Digital marketing:
By having a little marketing information, we can jump into this field. It pays well. Even if not, then it is not a difficult task. It can easily be learned by anyone. Another great opportunity for lone-parent surviving in poverty.
It can just be started by creating a social media account for business. Making engaging content can soon prove to be a great way of earning. Search for clients, the more client you grasp, the more chances are that you will increase your earnings.
5. Graphic design:
Almost every business needs a graphic designer. Graphic designing is one of the biggest interests of some people. All we need is some creative software and our grip on that software. We can earn a handsome amount of money with this profession as well.
6. Affiliate marketing:
Affiliate marketing can pay a lot to a person who already has an audience. Otherwise, once your audience is established you will be able to earn commissions with the help of affiliate marketing. For people who don’t what it is, I will explain it. Naively, we search for some products or services(that some businesses are already selling) that are relevant to our field. We already had an audience to have an eye on. We get affiliate links (everyone gets a different link) of the products we choose. When someone clicks on the product or service and buy it, we get a commission on it. One just needs a loyal audience.
7. Video editing:
If you have a computer and some software for video editing, it is a good-to-go field. This field is in demand and pays a person. If it interests a person, he/she should go for it.
8. Social media influencer:
For lone parents and generally for every person, it is another way of earning. It doesn’t require any special skill. It demands hard work. Build up followers on social media platforms. Once the audience is established, we can sell our products. With this, affiliate marketing can be done in a better way.
So, these are some easy ways to earn money, sitting at home, with children. These skills can make you earn 6 figures in money as well, but if done appropriately. Hard work is the key to success, and without it, no one can achieve anything in life. So, my advice for solo parents would be “Don’t’ lose hope, work hard and achieve everything you are dreaming of right now. Every work is approachable. Rise and touch the sky, and tell everyone that single parenting is not linked with poverty”
Conclusion
There are many ways to face the challenges of poverty as a single-parent family. Single parents can get help from their government, agencies, and community organizations. Some helpful websites and apps offer support and resources. These parents can also join or start a support group with other single parents in your area. No matter what you do, try not to give up. You can get through this and provide a better life for your children. Prove to the world that single parenting has no linkage with poverty.