Single parents both men and women please answer...thank you!?

Single Parents only please...both male and female for a sociology project?





I am taking a sociology class where I need to interview 7 single male parents and 7 single female parents. If you could please answer these questions honestly so I can write my paper that would be great! Ofcourse everyone will be anonymous! But I do need 7 of both men and women that are single parents for a total of 14 people.





1. What are the 5 most difficult problems that you face as a single parent?





2. What are the 5 achievements that you are most proud of as a single parent?





3. What 3 ways could society/goverment assist you in fulfilling your obligations as a single parent?





Thank you so much, this will be a great help!!!

Single parents both men and women please answer...thank you!?
Interesting project. I'm game.





1. Juggling work and household while still giving her all of the attention that she needs and deserves... providing her with a positive male role model... having enough money to take care of everything we need...having time to be involved in her school... having any time to myself.





2. Putting myself through college, working full time, and raising her all at once... providing for our family by myself with no assistance... owning my own home... teaching her strength, health, and self-esteem, and being able to take credit for being an important part of this intelligent, thoughtful, sensitive, genuinely beautiful human being.





3. School districts now close for extra days (Wednes. before thanksgiving, Friday AND Monday of memorial day weekend) which makes it very difficult for single parents to have childcare for them. Also, education is very important - many single parents are YOUNG single parents, and could benefit from parenting education. Lastly, employers in the US could stand to take a lesson from nearly all other countries regarding family leave and vacation/sick benefits. It's hard for a pair of parents to manage time off for their children - it's a nightmare for us single parents.





I hope this helps you.
Reply:I was a single dad. My kids are grown now. I raised my


daughter from nearly birth on and her brother from 5 and 8.


The five most difficult problems:


1. MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! Never enough for food, medical care, shelter, clothing.


2. Time. Do the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, make sure home work is done, mow the lawn, shovel the snow, get the kids to school, put in a days work.


3. Energy! After doing all that, you just sort of drop in bed in a total exhausted state.


I have only three achievements that I am proud of-my kids


I raised all three to good productive members of society. I never had any problems with my kids getting into drugs, alcohol, smoking, teen sex, problems with the law, none of the garbage that kids get into. All three graduated from high school and went on to higher education-two AA's and a BFA.


Two of them had ADD. Currently all three are gainfully employed and my daughter is married to a US Marine and has just recently given birth to my first grandchild.


What can society do to make things better.


Start with employers. They need to be much more sensitive to the needs of single parents. No.1 pay their employees a living wage, give better health care benefits, be more flexible with time off.


Thanx for letting me sound off! I hope this helps.
Reply:1. Problems - Being the male and female role, financial support, emotional support, not having the time and energy to do everything, employer not letting you off for sick kids or kid activites.


2. Achievement - Being emotionally strong, being self sufficient, teaching children (education), finding time to do everything that is required in a day, time for activities/sports, and other activities such as playing, art, and games.


3. Society (employers) need to understand the difference in single parents and those that have the support of another person - have empathy. We may need more time off and can't travel like married couples.
Reply:well my boys are now grown the youngest is 16 but i raised em alone for 12 years ever since me and their "father" and i use the word lightly divorced.


1. MONEY there is never enough esp when they are young TIME again never enough to go around when you have to work but want to be there for their ballgames , first dates, first proms etc ( those were my only two real obstacles )





2. that all 4 of my boys are well mannered, polite, do/did well in school, their sports acheivments, and the fact that no matter where they are or who they are with they will still give me a kiss and tell me they love me when they either see me ( the ones that have moved out) or when they leave the house





3. have employers offer better insurance at affordable prices, be more leinanant (sp?) with single parents over time missed due to a sick child you cant leave your sick child at home always , and to adopt a nationwide no tax on food like some states already have i live in tn and the tax here is 10.75% on everything and when you dont quallify for government asst with food groceries for 4 teenage boys gets expensive quickly i easily spend 200.00 a week on food
Reply:Question #1


1. Not having anyone to share the household chores. Dishes, cooking, laundery, cleaning.....it all adds up and it hard to do with a baby in the house.


2. Never getting any time for myself, unless the baby is sleeping or with her grandma


3. Trying to be both roles of mom and dad.


4. not having anyone to consult with on decisions about the baby. everything from what brand of diaper to what daycare she attends falls on me.


5. Not having anyone to take over if I get sick or need a break.





Question #2


1. Having my 11 month old daughter on a wonderful schedule every day. she goes to bed awake on her own in her own room every night and sleeps all night.


2. Keeping my baby girl healthy and happy. No fast food, no junk food, only good stuff that she should be eating for her age.


3. Being able to hold down a professional career (I have a college degree) and working hard to support my baby.


4. Having built a wonderful relationship with my baby girl. she is already a mommy's girl because we play and laugh and cuddle. I never let my life get in her way and because of that, she just adores me....you can see it in her smile when I walk into the room.


5. Being able to give my daughter everything that she needs. from food, to clothes, books, toys, wipe warmer, good carseat. I am able to give her everything she needs, and I am proud of that.





Question #3


1. Formula help. My daughter had severe acid reflux and we had to use special formula. it had to be the ready to feed kind. I make too much for WIC, but her formula cost three times as much as most babies' would have. Even though it was a medical condition, I was not eligible for any help.


2. Help with daycare/insurance. again, I make good money. because of that I am punished into having to pay privately for her daycare. And to get her covered on my insurance at work is expensive. I am not eligible for any assistance.


3. I just feel that the government rewards the poor and ignores the hardworking. I have a good job, so I was not able to get ANY help with my baby. Not one penny. But I know people who literally sit at home with their baby and do not work, and get food, formula, diapers.....you name it, they get it. There should be a way that hard work is rewarded.....people who work hard and take care of their babies should get something too. After paying the insurance costs and the daycare fees, my paycheck takes a big hit.....but any agency that assists mothers looks at the paycheck. Not how much we get to keep.





Hope this helps.........good luck with your project!!!
Reply:I do know if I can help


I became a single parent when my husband died


1. 5 most difficult problems I face


a. Never having a break


b. Always dealing with the child


c. Not having someone to talk to


d. Knowing you are your child only person in the world


e. Making every decision without help


2. 5 achievement that you are proud of


a. Getting up in the morning, and living


b. Doing the best for my child


c. not giving up





3. 3 ways society/government assist


1. Social security benefits from my husband


2. School


3. Support with other single parents, and parents with children with special needs





I hope this help