Problems of Single Mothers In USA
Problems of single mothers in USA are many. There are issues with ex-spouses not paying court ordered child support. Many single mothers with preschool children cannot afford daycare and do not qualify for Head Start.
Some can only work part-time. Many receive WIC (Women Infants and Children) or AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children). This starts the unfortunate welfare cycle that can be very difficult to break.
Some of the problems single mothers face are monetary. First, there are real financial problems caused when ex-spouses do not pay court ordered support.
I want to state here that most ex-spouses do meet their financial obligation to their children; however we are focusing on those that do not.
Not only do the children suffer as their basic needs for clothing and food may not be met, but the strain it puts on the single mother is intense.
Contrary to popular belief court ordered child support does not put the mother in the lap of luxury. Children quickly out grow clothes, they need food to eat, and even public school is not totally free.
If the children are preschoolers then there is child care to consider and daycare is expensive. The other problem with not receiving court ordered child support is that the mother cannot file for AFDC or WIC until the matter of support is resolved.
This entails going back into court and trying to force the ex-spouse to pay either through wage garnishment or other legal means.
Not every ex-spouse is easy to track down thus leaving the single mother with little or no means of self sufficiency and putting both her and the children at risk for becoming homeless. This is a huge problem of single parenting.
Daycare is expensive. Many single mothers with preschool children need to work. However with preschool or daycare running well over $400 a month it may be an impossible task for a single mother with preschool children to work.
If the family meets certain guidelines, there may be free or reduced daycare available through Head Start or Early Start programs.
However, many single mothers fall just above the income guidelines, especially when child support is being paid. In this case, there will be no help from Head Start or Early Start.
The cost of daycare lies solely on her shoulders.) Perhaps she can work out an arrangement with her child's preschool but they may not. In effect she is a member of the working poor. These are the financial problems of single mothers in USA.
Finally another of the problems of single mothers in USA is the welfare system. Many of the state and federal programs that administer WIC and AFDC assume that poor single mothers are the same as the rest of the population.
This is not the case. The poor single mother is more likely than the rest of the population to suffer from depression.
This alone can prevent her from working or seeking help that she needs. It starts a cycle of welfare that is hard to break and moving toward self sufficiency is not a valid option.
Overall, the problems of single mothers in the USA are significantly different from the rest of the population. More resources are required to give them the help they need.
References:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0341/is_4_56/ai_70460018
Featured Single Parenting Articles
Tips Of Positive Parenting SkillsIt is a tough job being a single parent. You have to be both mother and father to the child. Many single parents will benefit from reading about parenting tips for single mothers.
Assistance For Single ParentsIf you are a single parent then you may need daycare assistance. Single Parent is a tough job and if you qualify there is assistance that can get your children into daycare so that you can work.
Government Aid For Single ParentThere are single parent grants available to those individuals who wish to start school or return to school. Lets examine what is available.
Single Parent Adoption QuestionsThere are laws of single parent adoption. To the dismay of many, it is legal to adopt a child even if you are not married.
Single Parenting Support GroupMany parents look for single parenting support groups after a divorce or if they have a child and never married. There are many support groups out there for single parents to contact.