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The out-of-wedlock birth rate in the United States doubled from 1950 to 1970.
So, the dramatic increase definitely began before the 1970s.
It seems to me that the lack of paternal responsibility among the poor and working class men is one of the driving forces behind the sharp increase in single motherhood.
I find it fascinating that women from affluent households don't buy into the idea that "women don't need men." They seem to strongly believe in marriage and two-parent households..
On the other hand, lower income women apparently think there's nothing wrong with being a single parent.
That is pretty counterintuitive.
Not what I read. In 1950 it was about 5%, by 1960 7-9% was 1970 when the rates soared and it is over the top today.
I don't think it is fascinating or a result of thinking "I dont need a man". As stated before wealthier more affluent people tend to prioritize education thus putting off relationships/families (married or not) for higher education, then for career-building. They most likely have better access to health care and contraceptives. Chances of conceiving decrease as one ages. Quite a few of the couples I have know who put off having kids until their 30's had some trouble with fertility. They also most likely grew up in two parent homes.
Yes I do believe that there is a great lack of paternal responsibility. Society has shifted all responsibility for sex, birth control and parenting to women and diminished the importance of fatherhood and the paternal role model for children and families.
Not all lower income women want to be single parents. A lot of them are widowed or the man abandoned the family.
I don't think many women want to be single parents.
Marriage has fallen from favor so many of these single parents actually have two parents, they just arent married. And definitely many are divorced, abandoned and widowed.
I know two women, actually old friends who grew up middle class like myself, who wanted to be single parents. Really, I'm sure they wanted a good mate and father for their child but that didn't happen for them, time was ticking, so they planned and had a child on their own ("I dont need a man"). And they didn't need a man. They had the finances/income (no need for government assistance programs) and family support (childcare etc.) to raise a child without a father.
I became a single parent when my soon-to-be ex-husband died. Honestly, these friends had it easier raising their children than I did.
I don't think many women want to be single parents.
Marriage has fallen from favor so many of these single parents actually have two parents, they just arent married. And definitely many are divorced, abandoned and widowed.
I know two women, actually old friends who grew up middle class like myself, who wanted to be single parents. Really, I'm sure they wanted a good mate and father for their child but that didn't happen for them, time was ticking, so they planned and had a child on their own ("I dont need a man"). And they didn't need a man. They had the finances/income (no need for government assistance programs) and family support (childcare etc.) to raise a child without a father.
I became a single parent when my soon-to-be ex-husband died. Honestly, these friends had it easier raising their children than I did.
Marriage in general has indeed fallen out of favor with many in American society. I know several women who managed to have children without ever getting married, and raising said child alone. None of the ones I know are on welfare.
That's right, and maybe those illegal but discrete procedures conducted by licensed physicians would be ok except that the poor girls I knew couldn't pay the bill, so they resorted to paying retired nurses to abort them, or having their boyfriend repeatedly hit or kick them to try to cause a miscarriage. One of my best friends endured a kitchen table abortion, developed sepsis and had most of her reproductive organs removed.
And that is exactly why we need to have safe, legal, abortion available for everyone, not just the wealthy.
It does happen when a single woman has several kids. And no one treats the poor like garbage. They aren't owed anything at all and are extremely lucky they get so many taxpayer-funded freebies.
Each 'extra child' adds appx $25 -$30 to a TANF grant, I'm not sure where all these extremely lucky women are, most struggle to get by. Only about 25% of the poor get subsidized housing, very few receive generous benefits, in Arizona for a family of three with no other income the TANF cash grant is $278 a month, that is limited to 12 months and each family is limited to one TANF grant. So please tell me how that family gets by at all, and where there taxpayer-funded freebies are.
I find it fascinating that women from affluent households don't buy into the idea that "women don't need men." They seem to strongly believe in marriage and two-parent households..
On the other hand, lower income women apparently think there's nothing wrong with being a single parent.
That is pretty counterintuitive.
Women from affluent households experience firsthand how to properly raise a functional nuclear family. Women from low income households experience firsthand how to exploit US taxpayers in a dysfunctional instable fatherless household.
If no one is smart or strong enough to break the cycle, the cycle will continue.
As we all know, 2nd generational immigrants who climbed the social ladder did it through education, not endless handouts. Even MLK Jr. had a degree.
Each 'extra child' adds appx $25 -$30 to a TANF grant, I'm not sure where all these extremely lucky women are, most struggle to get by. Only about 25% of the poor get subsidized housing, very few receive generous benefits, in Arizona for a family of three with no other income the TANF cash grant is $278 a month, that is limited to 12 months and each family is limited to one TANF grant. So please tell me how that family gets by at all, and where there taxpayer-funded freebies are.
Now add extra per kid to every one of the other welfare benefits she gets. It adds up. That's how it gets to be more than a job pays, as in the example posted.
This is what I think. If welfare did get cut off, I don't see more people getting married and having kids the right way. I think the crime rates will just go up.
Now add extra per kid to every one of the other welfare benefits she gets. It adds up. That's how it gets to be more than a job pays, as in the example posted.
I worked with poor women for a long time I know what they had. And the worst kick in the teeth for most of them was the lack of grocery stores within walking distance of their home, most had to shop at 7-11 or another similar store, where it's difficult to buy the components for a meal, instead they buy what is in the store, i.e. cupcakes, cheap bread, maybe some hotdogs. and two or three days of junk food costs them more than groceries that would last them a week if purchased at a regular store. It's easy to argue about it, or nit pick the numbers - I just wish that everyone had an opportunity to observe the poor trying to get by, it's not a pretty picture. No person on welfare that I worked with received even close to 26,000 a year, that's crazy!
I worked with poor women for a long time I know what they had. And the worst kick in the teeth for most of them was the lack of grocery stores within walking distance of their home, most had to shop at 7-11 or another similar store, where it's difficult to buy the components for a meal, instead they buy what is in the store, i.e. cupcakes, cheap bread, maybe some hotdogs. and two or three days of junk food costs them more than groceries that would last them a week if purchased at a regular store. It's easy to argue about it, or nit pick the numbers - I just wish that everyone had an opportunity to observe the poor trying to get by, it's not a pretty picture. No person on welfare that I worked with received even close to 26,000 a year, that's crazy!
When public assistance program benefits are stacked, they do. Add them up.
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They aren't owed anything at all and are extremely lucky they get so many taxpayer-funded freebies.