Research: Some Numbers

The fact that I needed to blog before 9AM today completely slipped my mind. I'm sorry - I won't let it happen again! I did some very general research on single parent families/single mothers this week. Even though the research I've been doing does not directly play into my images, the hope is that it will eventually begin to inform them, causing them to evolve into their final form. Below are my findings from this week.

I have mentioned several times that I feel alone. Not only do I feel alone in my parenting because I lack a partner, but alone as a single mother in general. I know this is not the case, that there are plenty of other women who share my circumstances in the world, but until now I was not sure what the percentage was. Only 13% of school-aged children live with single mothers that were formerly married (Berger, The Developing Person, Eighth Ed., p. 384).I know that number does not include children that are Henry's age, but I still feel that it relates. On the one hand, that number feels large, but when you are part of it, it seems staggeringly small. 24% of White, non-Hispanic parents with children under the age of twelve are single mothers (Berger, The Developing Person, Eighth Ed., p. 388). This number is larger, but does not separate mothers that were never married from mothers that are estranged/divorced from their husbands. I take comfort in this greater number, but at the same time I find it to be devastating. In fact, according to Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Childhood and Society compiled by Diana and Robert Del Campo, "There are over 7.5 million single mothers raising children in the United States today." This staggering number not only helps to demonstrate that my feelings of being alone are somewhat unfounded, but forces me to ask several questions of myself. What makes me feel like I am so special and unique in my situation? If it is so common, why is there such a stigma against single motherhood? What can I do to connect with the other members of my social minority, and make a difference? How do we overcome the situation? Since single motherhood is occurring everywhere all of the time and often not by choice, why are the single mothers blamed? These are questions that I will use to fuel future research. I am currently reading an article from Taking Sides that answers the question Are Fathers Really Necessary? from opposite ends. Next week, I will post my findings from that. Until then. . .