There have been monumental changes in the way Americans view and live their lives, resulting in both good and bad consequences. This would include the changing face of the American family. A major concern of the single parent, regardless of ethnicity or reasons for single status, is financial. For the African American population, the prevalence of unmarried, female, single and head of the household families without interaction from the father has led to stereotypes. Among Caucasians, many of single parent households are the result of divorce and have less emphasis on the financial contributions of the absent parent.
             Oftentimes, when a single parent raises a child, they are seen as a broken family. This can result in much pain and misunderstanding. However, the number of single parent families has grown rapidly, and is expected to continue to rise. “Since 1970, the number of children living in a single family has doubled. In fact, statistics from 1992 indicate that single parent families represent 30% of U.S. households, while 25% represent two parent households. Based on current trends, there are predictions that
             upwards of 70% of children born since 1980 will spend some time living in a single parent home before their 18th birthday.”
             It is difficult for children to handle the negative stereotypes and hurtful remarks, so often they need support from teachers, coaches, neighbors, family, and friends. This can be extremely helpful to the single parent since they must focus on being able to fully support the family. Ideally single parents should maintain a positive attitude and consider all the benefits of being a single parent, such as their newfound liberty and independence. They should try and keep an optimistic view about the future. As single parents, it is important that they set rules and boundaries. Many times, single parents allow their children to have too much power. This can cause the child ...