Single parenting~

Across the Middle East and North Africa, most parents are effectively single parents.

They are married, but one partner carries most of the responsibilities alone. The other simply enjoys the social benefits of having a family and the illusion of being in control.

It is not so different in other parts of the world. People often say that single parents aren't enough to raise a child, clueless to the fact that most relationships are, in reality, single parenting. And in many cases, it's even worse: the "parent" is a cellphone, or both parents are actually a danger to the child.

If you're a single parent, all that matters is that you do your best and put the kids first, irrespective of what people think. You're doing enough as long as you're doing your best.

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Ceinwyn · 26-30, F

I think you can say “single parents - you’re doing a great job” without trashing everyone else’s marriages. I don’t think you’ve met enough married couples to have any credibility to your opinion.

In most marriages the mother and father bring different benefits to the child, but they work together. Single parents have to try do it all. And there are good and bad examples of both family situations.

Miram · 31-35, F

@Ceinwyn

Drawing behavioral clusters doesn't need you to sample to the entire population. Not that my thread is a social study. I have met enough and I have seen enough instances to draw those conclusions.

Of course, there are instances of good parenting from both partners. My thread doesn't say they don't exist.

What it actually says is that the prevelance of bad parenting despite of being in relationships should be considered by those who discourage single parenting.

Take it in its entirety.

Miram · 31-35, F

@Ceinwyn

In most marriages the mother and father bring different benefits to the child, but they work together

You are drawing behavioral clusters just the same.

I think there is a general epidemic of difficult= less worthy of an endeavor. In some cases preserving a marriage does mean trying to do it all and have even more challenges than a single parent. That doesn't mean their choice is wrong.

But this nuance should at least be reflected on before attaching a negative connotation to single parenting and whether or not it is enough.

Do you understand what I mean here?