To Single Fathers on Father ’s Day

I suspect that when most people think about single parents, they think about single mothers. And, yes, single moms have many challenges and should be seriously thought about. But sometimes what gets lost in the shuffle is the reality of single Dads. If you are raising children alone, Father’s Day may highlight how alone you feel. Reasons to celebrate your kind of family: You are not alone: According to the 2016 U.S. Census (the most recent from which we have data), there were 2.6 million single fathers in America. That’s 16.1% of single-parent households. That’s three times more than two decades prior. One study shows that 27% of fathers under age 30 are single Dads. The reasons dads are solo parents is as varied as it is for single moms. About 40% were divorced, 38% were never married, 16% were separated, and 6% were widowed. Single parenting may not have been what these dads had in mind for themselves but most are meeting the challenge and parenting well. You also aren’t alone if you are a single dad by choice. Just as there are some women who don’t want to miss out on being parents because they haven’t found a stable partner, there are men like you who have become parents through foster programs, adoption, or surrogacy. Reliable data about the number of men choosing to go it alone into parenthood isn’t yet available. But the number of articles about it on the web do indicate a growing trend. Your family is normal: “Normal” is in the eyes of the tim...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Family Men's Issues Parenting father's day single dad Source Type: blogs