A common perception shared by most people is that a healthy family life can only be maintained if a male and female (in the capacity of parents) make a collective effort to raise their children. Anything short of this will generally be dismissed by us as an unhealthy family where the children will grow in insecurity and deviate from the straight path.

The truth is that effects of single parenting on children are usually seen in bad light. The reality, as depicted by many real life examples, tells a different story altogether.

Broken Homes

Raising a healthy family does not depend on the number of parents looking after their kids but on the quality of effort that a parent puts into raising physically and mentally healthy children. If a single parent is looking after his/her offspring/s, it does not mean that the kids are growing up in a broken home. Typically, a broken home is where meaningful family interactions fall apart, communication becomes less effective, and where the last traces of love evaporates into thin air.

Since the weight of responsibility increases on single parents, they pull up their socks and rise to the challenge. Things usually turn out good in the end with the right kind of mental approach.

Single parents have many qualities that are conveniently ignored for the sake of upholding rotten mass perceptions. Single parents have leather skins (figuratively speaking) and it’s about time you know where they stand in the great scheme of things.

Commitment Personified

Single parents are mostly known as serious care-takers and their dedication to the welfare of their kids is commendable. Such parents also tend to give more sacrifices for the well-being of their children.

A 2011 US census figures show that 85 percent of single parents living with kids under 18 are mothers (NYT, 11/2011, p. A18).

Therefore single mothers show more commitment towards their children. The psychological effects of single parenting on kids might not be bad after all.

Decisive When Needed

Single parents are busy people because they juggle so many tasks in a single day to keep the wheel going round. Therefore, when it comes to communicating with their children, such parents will speak in a very frank and to the point manner. They won’t even dodge the difficult issues and would engage their children in open discussions.

Meticulous Organization

With so much to accomplish in little time, single parents create a good organizational structure inside and outside their homes to ensure the smooth running of their affairs. Establishing a routine in their houses is very essential for them to maintain discipline in their lives.

Social Support Networks

Single parents are not alone in any way. In fact, these adults are usually a part of support systems where they can discuss their problems and seek guidance from a large group of like-minded people. In other words, they have a good network of friends to call upon in times of need.

Family Values

In the absence of a partner, single parents put more stress on family values and functioning. They focus more attention on their children to improve the quality of relationship with their offspring.

Delegating Responsibilities

Single parents know the importance of delegating responsibilities to their kids. As a result, the kids feel more confident by contributing something to the family life and being recognized as an integral part of the household.