Rhetorical Analysis Assignment Sheet FOR NJOSH

Single parenting has become a lifestyle in our modern day century. It is no longer a surprise finding a woman or a man raising children as single parents. It is worth noting that the most affected party is women whereby we have more female single parents than men. Single parenting can be described to be a condition in which either of the individuals involved in the conception of a child takes full responsibility in bringing up the child. It also occurs when either a man or a woman decide to conceive and bring up a child outside marriage. Another occurrence is through divorce whereby a couple splits and responsibility is given to one of them to bring the children. Last but not least, the death of one’s spouse is also another aspect that leads to single parenthood (Mooney, Oliver, & Smith, 2009). According to studies, approximately half the total number of children born today is most likely to spend their childhood until 18 years old in homes with single parents (Mooney, Oliver, & Smith, 2009). Furthermore, studies indicate that children that grow up with both parents tend to perform better or do better than those that are raised by single parents (Mooney, Oliver, & Smith, 2009). The perspective presented by the study is not to imply that children with single parents perform poorly than those with two parents but rather to indicate that the well-being of children raised by single parents is subject to suffer. The emotional and the mental well-being of a child are among the issues affected by single parenting and therefore it becomes inevitable to analyze the effects of growing up with a single parent on child psychology.

It is worth noting that in the current world, the death of a spouse is no longer the apparent reason for children to grow up in single parent homes but there are various factors. One-fourth of the total number of children given birth to are from mothers that are unmarried and whereby half of the number are from teenage girls who are unmarried. However, chances are that these women get married later. Studies also indicate that approximately forty percent of children that are beneath the age of eighteen risk to experience divorces from the marriage of their parents while fifteen percent of them will experience the separation twice (Mooney, Oliver, & Smith, 2009). Furthermore, it is quite common for children these days to experience a phantasmagoria of types of single parenthood, remarriages, divorce, cohabitation, in addition to frequent divorces (Mooney, Oliver, & Smith, 2009).

Children in the current world experience a lot of changes in the structures of their families. Most of the children that engage in bad habits such as drug abuse, criminal activities, joining cults and many more come from single families; especially those that lack a father figure and receive less attention such that they seek attention from other places. Ten years ago, followed perspective was that single parenting had no long-term failures in regards to the growth of children. The concerns regarding divorce were not considered or rather perceived to be of less importance such that it involved a small period of heartache and healing. However, studies done on preschoolers showed that they were emotionally distressed; some of them exhibited behavioral issues while others frequently disturbed their peers after two years of their parents’ divorces (Mooney, Oliver, & Smith, 2009). Nonetheless, boys exhibited significant improvements and girls exhibited normal behavior; similar to the girls whose parents were not divorced. Be that as it may, recent findings show that children that come from homes with single parents perform averagely or poorly when compared to their counterparts. Furthermore, most children that drop out from school, those that are considered born outside marriage and those that find it difficult maintaining their sources of income are brought up by single parents (Mooney, Oliver, & Smith, 2009).

However, it is important to note that reports from such findings tend to be misinterpreted with the bias being that a family with both parents will result in proper growth for their children when compared t single parents. In other words, it is not actual that children raised by single parents will turn out bad while those that have both parents will turn out well. There are numerous cases of children from single parents that do exemplary well than those with two parents. The point of emphasis is that children that grow in single parent homes have high risk to experience suffering in regards to their well-being (Mooney, Oliver, & Smith, 2009).

The effects of growing up with a single parent on child psychology

According to a study done by Uchenna on the impact of single parenting in the psychological and academic prowess in children, finding showed that children from families with both parents benefited in both psychological and academic aspects when compared to those with single parents (Azuka - Obieke, 2013). The reason is that families with both parents provide a conducive environment for growth. Also, the findings showed that despite of a lot of children from single homes have become successful in their development, most children from homes with single parents do not always reach their outmost potential as a result of limited resources. According to the scholar, it is important for school instructors, educational psychologists, school administrators, and counselors to be aware of the factors that impact the well-being of children that come from homes with single parents (Azuka - Obieke, 2013). By having this knowledge, it becomes easier to comprehend the attitudes and the behaviors of the children under their care. Furthermore, the parties should try and give support to the single parents in the possible way they can to ensure that children receive the psychological attention that they require without feeling limited. A good example is a school counselor collaborating with a parent in evaluating and developing the behavior of a child such that he or she turns out to be better adults (Azuka - Obieke, 2013).

Several studies on the psychological and physical well-being of children from homes with single parents have been conducted by various psychologists, educationists, scholars and also counselors over the past few years. The studies have mostly put emphasis on teenagers brought up by single parents that are female (Azuka - Obieke, 2013). According to empirical studies, children from homes that are intact tend to receive all-round care in addition to being adequately socialized as both parents play equal roles in developing their children which later becomes significant when they transition into adulthood. However, children from homes with single parents are at risk of suffering from denial of some rights which in return affects their psychosocial development. Furthermore, children from homes that are broken tend to exhibit poor performance in addition to antisocial tendencies (Azuka - Obieke, 2013).

It is worth noting that the adolescent period tends to be a crucial stage in the development of an individual. It is a stage that most teenagers struggle to accept themselves for who they are and also identifying their places in the society. They tend to search for places to fit in such that they are able to express themselves. Therefore, if a parent exhibits any laxity, chances are that the child will develop noxious behavior. It is often said that Charity begins at home and therefore adequate foundation is required for the well-being of a child. Parents have the sole responsibility of ensuring that their children develop adequately in the psychological, academic, social and moral aspects (Azuka - Obieke, 2013).

Single parents tend to face twice the responsibilities in regards to time, finances and also attention. It, therefore, becomes difficult for them to fully take into consideration the psychological well-being of their children. At most times, children from homes with single parents are perceived to be hyperactive, aggressive, emotionally needy and also anxious. Some even become confused on their gender roles in the society especially children from families that lack a fatherly figure. Furthermore, they tend to be easily distractible when compared to children from families with both parents (Azuka - Obieke, 2013).

The psychological well-being of children is relevant when it comes to their growth such that children that are brought up in conducive environments tend to adjust well in the society. However, those that feel pressurized in regards to their mental well-being tend to have problems in adjusting in the day to day activities in the society. For children raised by single parents and also from remarried families, there tend to be psychological problems that affect their individual progress when compared to those with both parents. According to studies, teenagers whose parents had divorced when they were seven to eight years old underwent therapy before they reached the adolescent stage while those from families with both parents, only ten percent received therapy (Bogenschneider, 2014). Furthermore, the youth that were between the ages of eighteen and twenty two were at high risk of experiencing intense emotional distress as a result of the breakdown of their families; with the range being from birth to sixteen years (Bogenschneider, 2014).

Most of the psychological issues result in bad conducts whereby children begin engaging in delinquent behavior and engage in alcohol and other forms of drugs. Most of them engage in such behavior as a way of getting attention from their parents or in the need for a place where they could place their solitude. It is important to note that most of the teenagers that engage in such behavior lack father figures in their lives (Bogenschneider, 2014).

Another psychological issue is on the relationship found between parents from single homes and their children. Studies indicate that children raised by both parents feel that they are cared for and hence feel closer to their parents (Bogenschneider, 2014). The same case applies to children raised by single parents whereby in most cases, those raised by their mothers feel closer to them while only half of the population feel close to their fathers. One significant outcome in regards to children whose parents are divorced is the creation of a stable relationship despite the separation such that all parties play part in being there for each other. However, studies show that children from broken homes lack a significant bond with their parents due to the emotional vacuum created by the divorce when compared to children with both parents. Some of them project aggression and negative attitudes to one of the parents as a way of hiding their pain (Bogenschneider, 2014).

Conclusion

As stated earlier, the emotional and the mental well-being of a child are among the issues affected by single parenting and therefore it becomes inevitable to analyze the effects of growing up with a single parent on child psychology. Single parenting has become quite common in our current world and is associated with various factors rather than just the death of a spouse. From the above analysis, it is quite evident that children from homes with single parents are at high risk of experiencing challenges in their psychological well-being. It, therefore, becomes important, especially, for education institutions to identify these aspects to ensure that the well-being of children from single parents is ensured.

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