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I'm a single mom (my husband passed away four years ago) and I'm also in a relationship. The way I see it, I do not have a husband to raise my children with me, so I am raising them by myself (single). As of now, my partner is not super involved in my children's lives (and I am not very involved in his kids' lives either), so I still consider myself a single mother. Yes, my kids know him, but he isn't here on a regular enough basis that I would consider him to be a partner to me in parenting.
I consider a divorced parent a single parent as well.
I don't mean disrespect to any parents out here; I'm trully curious.
I've been noticing this trend for several years that a divorced parent instead of being called "divorced" is now "single parent." Why is this? Is there something wrong with the word "divorced."
I've always thought of "single parent" as someone who had a baby but never married or the other parent is not involved in their daily lives. I get that when you divorce you have the option of choosing a new partner, therefore single. But it was a choice made when it was decided to get divorced. In many cases the other parent is still in the picture of your child even though you're relationship as a couple is not there any more.
A person without a partner is single, plain and simple.
Maybe being thought of as an unwed mother sounds better than being divorced?
Maybe, if it were 1956. What is it we call the unwed father, anyway? Is there an unflattering term for him, or do we just reserve that pleasure for the ladies?
I agree with those who have defined single parents as any parent raising a child alone. I had never thought about the terminology before, but -- if I'm using the term -- marital (or one-time marital) status of the parents would be irrelevant. In the case of divorced parents sharing custody, I'd call both of them single parents. If they've remarried or living with someone who shares equal responsibility for the parenting duties then they're no longer single parents.
A person without a partner is single, plain and simple.
A divorced person no longer has a partner, see?
Sure I get this...I guess my brain is making a diferentiation between a couple with kids and a couple with no kids...I think the terms of a divorce would be different depending if you have kids together or not. A couple with no kids are truly free to move on with their lives without looking back. A couple with kids, with some exceptions, will probably try to stay in touch (at some level) for the sake of the kids.
Thanks for your input. That is why I was asking the question to begin with. Again, I'm not trying to disrespect anyone, or assume that all things are the same when it comes to separation.
Maybe, if it were 1956. What is it we call the unwed father, anyway? Is there an unflattering term for him, or do we just reserve that pleasure for the ladies?
LOL.....good post F.R. I do remember, many years ago, the term "unwed mother" was incredibly derogatory. It was such a shameful thing to be one. I love that though.....what DO we call an unwed father. Well, I would suppose it all depends on who's calling him something eh? A$$hole, irresponsible, loser......sucker, stud, idiot? LOL
Sure I get this...I guess my brain is making a diferentiation between a couple with kids and a couple with no kids...I think the terms of a divorce would be different depending if you have kids together or not. A couple with no kids are truly free to move on with their lives without looking back. A couple with kids, with some exceptions, will probably try to stay in touch (at some level) for the sake of the kids.
Thanks for your input. That is why I was asking the question to begin with. Again, I'm not trying to disrespect anyone, or assume that all things are the same when it comes to separation.
Staying in touch has no baring on the day-to-day raising of a child. If there is one parent under the roof raising the children and running the house, that one person is parenting alone, even if there is another parent because that other parent isn't under the same roof co-raising the children and co-running the house. That other parent is off elsewhere running his/her own house, and if he/she has other children, he/she is parenting under a different roof. The other parent could be remarried, hence, that parent is no longer a 'single' parent even though that parent's ex-spouse is a single parent due to not being remarried. Once remarried, you are no longer a single parent because you are parenting with a step-parent, not parenting on your own.
Even if divorced parents have joint custody and share equal time with the children, both parents are still single parents because they are running their own households alone (if not remarried). They are both establishing and enforcing their own parenting rules for their own houses, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, cooking the dinner, and financially supporting their own household by themselves. As a result, "single parent" is a term to describe the additional challenges of running a household with children by oneself.
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......sucker, stud, idiot? LOL
