Webster's New World Dictionary defines parenting as work or skill of a parent in raising a child or children. The same definition applies to single parenting, except in this case the single parent assumes the role of both father and mother. There are a number of circumstances that lead to single parenting: divorce, separation, abandonment, and death.

1. Dr. Veena Shahi
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Vaishali

2. Single parenting:
Webster's New World Dictionary defines parenting
as work or skill of a parent in raising a child or
children. The same definition applies to single
parenting, except in this case the single parent
assumes the role of both father and mother. There
are a number of circumstances that lead to single
parenting: divorce, separation, abandonment, and
death.

3. A single parent family is a family where there is only
one parent and one or more children living together
in a home atmosphere or where a parent lives with
dependent children, either alone or in a larger
household, without a spouse or partner
A single parent (also lone parent and sole parent) is a
parents, who cares for one or more children without
the assistance of another parent in the home.
"Single parenthood" may vary according to the local
laws of different nations or regions.

4. Single parenthood may occur for a variety of
reasons. It could be opted for by the parent (as in
divorce, adoption , artificial insemination,
surrogate, motherhood , or extramarital pregnancy)
or be the result of an unforeseeable occurrence (such
as death or abandonment by one parent).

5. Effects On Children:
Single parenting effects on children has been a
major and sensitive issues across cultures...
The effects of single-parent family life on children fall
into two categories: (1) those attributed to the lower
socioeconomic status of single parents and
 (2) the short-term consequences of divorce that
moderate over time.
Four factors are predictive of children's adjustment
to the divorce of their parents:
the passage of time,
the quality of the children's relationship with their
residential parent,
 the level of conflict between parents, and
 the economic standing of the children's residential family.

6. In the first few years after a divorce, the children
have higher rates of antisocial behavior, aggression,
anxiety, and school problems than children in two
parent families.
 But some of these problems may be attributed to a
decrease in available resources and adult super-
vision; many of the negative effects disappear when
there is adequate supervision, income, and
continuity in social networks (McLanahan and
Sandefur 1994).

7. In mother-only families, children tend to experience
short-and long-term economic and psychological
disadvantages; higher absentee rates at school, lower
levels of education, and higher dropout rates (with
boys more negatively affected than girls); and more
delinquent activity, including alcohol and drug
addiction.
Adolescents, on the other hand, are more negatively
affected by parental discord prior to divorce than by
living in single-parent families and actually gain in
responsibility as a result of altered family routines
(Demo and Acock 1991).

8. Bringing up children as a single father is a
tough task
Being a father he has to go to work as well as look
after his young ones which is very taxing. He can
really fatigue. As a single father neither he nor his
child has the liberty to share their thoughts with the
mother. The children particularly feel comfortable to
converse with their mother for many of their
problems. A number of public schools also don't
consider single parents worthy for the task which
adds to their worries.

9. Children in single-parent families more likely to
suffer emotional problems:
Children from broken homes are almost five
times more likely to develop emotional problems
than those living with both parents, a report has
found.
Young people whose mother and father split up
are also three times as likely to become aggressive
or badly behaved, according to the
comprehensive survey carried out by the Office
for National Statistics.
children in one-parent homes are twice as likely
as those in two-parent families to develop serious
psychiatric problems and addictions later in life.

10. Single parenting shows both positive and negative effects on
children.
Positive Single Parenting Effects
 Development of close bonds with parent - as Single parenting
involves looking after the child's requirements alone, and time to
be spent with the child is large which
would create a permanent goodwill and strong relationship
between the parent and the child.
 A smooth and an ideal process of child development.
Single parents, usually seek assistance from their relatives,
friends, colleagues or neighbors to raise children all by
themselves, especially babies and toddlers. This introduces
community life to the child at a relatively early age and empowers
them with the ability to socialize and understand people of
various natures.

11. Teenage learn to shoulder responsibilities at a
young age -
A teenage boy or a girl, they learn to shoulder their
responsibilities at a young age, making them more
mature and understanding. when the parents have
decided to separate due to a conflict or dispute
which keeps on coping up every once in a while, the
child gets early exposure to dispute and volatile
situations.
It can be a good lesson in conflict management, as the
child learns to face disappointments courageously
and realize the importance of possessing good
values such as empathy, help, care and support in
unfavorable situations.

12. Negative Effects of Single Parenting :
Considering the sensitive nature of a parental
separation or living apart, most of the children
unfortunately go through a negative ordeal.
A significant drop in the performance level of the
children. This leads to the development of a negative
attitude towards life, which further reduces
academic, extracurricular or co-curricular
performance
Bad performance, gives way to larger evils like
depression, alcohol or drug abuse, development of
hateful thinking process and similar problems.

13. all parents leave long lasting impressions on their
child's life. However this is particularly true for
single parents. Death, divorce or whatever is the
cause of this singularity, it likely leaves deep
impressions on the emerging personality of the
child. But it all depends on the way the single parent
responds to the task of single parenthood.
If the parents are confident and stable, their children
feel secure and confident.

14. study also found that the impact of the father's
absence from the home is apparently greater on male
adolescents than on female adolescents. That is, the
alcohol and marijuana use for father-absent male
adolescents is greater than for any other group. The
study emphasized the importance of the father as a
key figure in the transmission of values and as a role
model in the life of the adolescent.

15. Practical ways for single parents to cope with
stress....
No doubt single parents are stressed! And if anyone
just become a single parent, divorced or widowed,
the events that brought him or her to their single
state certainly were stressful. children were affected
by these events, too. They need assurance that
everything will be fine and there care will be taken.
Of course, this adds to stress, since single parent are
not even sure he/she can take care of
himself/herself right now.

16.  Reducing stress is very important for single
parents as well as for their children through
Gain some control on life.
Establish a routine.
Make those decisions that have been hanging over
the head.
Don't become isolated
Take good care of self.

17. Step parenting
Stepfamilies, also known as blended families
What is a blended family?
In a blended family, or stepfamily, one or both
partners have been married before. One or both has
lost a spouse through divorce or death, and may
have children from the previous marriages. They fall
in love and decide to remarry, and in turn, form a
new, blended family that includes children from one
or both of their first households.

18. Strategies for Step Parents to become
successful:
 Understand the differences between step families
and first families.
 Don't expect an instant relationship
Discipline by the biology book.
Get the "You're Not My Parent" conversation out of
the way quick!
Keep a united front up front.
Carve out one-on-one time with each child.
Avoid creating competition.

19. Make a daily attitude check.
Avoid the split personality approach to step
parenting
Keep the success of marriage in focus.
Ten Principles for the Effective Step-Parent
Be involved, not detached, as a stepparent.
Begin by being a friend to your stepchildren.
Let your relationship proceed at the children's pace.
Plan special times and experiences with your
stepchildren
Present a united front with your spouse.

20. Give your stepchildren the gift of limits.
 Use clear and explicit rules to establish limits.
Let stepchildren participate in making the rules
Encourage openness about feelings.
Maintain your sense of humor.

21. Step parents will need to adjust their approach with
different age levels and genders, but goal is to
establishing a trusting relationship.
Young children under 10
May adjust more easily because they thrive on
cohesive family relationships.
Are more accepting of a new adult
Feel competitive for their parent’s attention
Have more daily needs to be met

22. Adolescents aged 10-14
May have the most difficult time adjusting to a
stepfamily.
Need more time to bond before accepting a new
person as a disciplinarian.
May not demonstrate their feelings openly, but may
be as sensitive, or more sensitive, than young
children when it comes to needing love, support,
discipline and attention.

23. Teenagers 15 or older
May have less involvement in stepfamily life.
Prefer to separate from the family as they form they
own identities.
Also may not be open in their expression of affection
or sensitivity, but still want to feel important, loved
and secure.

24. Gender Differences – general tendencies:
Both boys and girls in stepfamilies tend to prefer
verbal affection, such as praises or compliments,
rather than physical closeness, like hugs and kisses.
Girls tend to be uncomfortable with physical
displays of affection from their stepfather.
Boys seem to accept a stepfather more quickly than
girls.

25. The following tips can help make this difficult
transition a bit smoother:
Establish the stepparent as more of a friend or
counselor rather than a disciplinarian.
Let the biological (custodial) parent remain
primarily responsible for discipline until the
stepparent has developed solid bonds with the kids.
Create a list of family rules. Discuss the rules with
the children and post them in a prominent place.
This may diminish custodial parent-stepparent-
stepchild tension.
Try to understand what the rules and boundaries are
for the kids in their other residence, and, if possible,
be consistent.

26. Stepparents need to:
1. Avoid loyalty binds for the kids
2. Earn the right to parent
3. Be a kind, loyal, adult role model

27. Three step-parenting problems:
1. Stepparent does not have enough power
2. Stepparent has too much power
3. The parents dump the kids on the stepparent

28. Solutions:
- Emphasize the marital dyad first
- Emphasize dyads, not family activities
- Privately ask parent, “what do you see the stepparent’s
role with the children?”
- Counselor needs to align with the weaker of the couple to
encourage assertiveness
- Work on collaboration between step & parent when there
are just a few problems instead of when there are crises

29. Thank
you