Single Parenting and Divorce have Hazardous Effects on Child DevelopmentA Presentation by: Aliya HalsteadNortheast High School Magnet SLC

Why are Single Parenting and Divorce Harmful?•It influences children’s future

development•Determines their perception of people in

their lives•Predicts the type of parent or lifestyle

they will be accustomed to in later years

Thesis Statement

The effects of single parenting and divorce are detrimental to children because they cause:

•Poor living environments•Physical and psychological defects•Slow social development•Issues involving an absent father figure

Money Matters• PARENTS WITH CHILDREN UNDER 15

YEARS: SELECTED INDICATORS OF FINANCIAL STRESS(a) — 2003-04

• Children in low income households are jealous of fortunate children and become aggressive

• The parent is dependent on the child and gives them too many responsibilities and emotional burdens (Hayman 45)

• They cannot afford bare necessities and turn to crime to fulfill their needs

Emotional and Physiological Influence

• Depression• Potential abuse by step-

parents (Jost)• Self-loathing attitude• Inferiority complex• Unable to perform daily

tasks (Engle 234)

Social Development• Incapable of making new

friends• Drop out of school• Low test scores and

unsatisfactory grades in school (O’Neill).

Difficulties in an Absent Father Household• Lack of male role model• Juvenile Delinquency• Teen Pregnancy• Early Sexual Activity• Drugs/Alcohol (Berlin)

My Insight on Single Parenting and Divorce•Being raised in a single parent household

is an intriguing experience•Having one parent brings about various

emotional issues, economic hurdles, and social problems to overcome

•I’ve become a stronger person since my father wasn’t around and had to learn life lessons without his assistance.

Works Cited• Berlin, Gordon. "The Effects of Marriage and Divorce on

Families and Children ." MDRC. MDRC, 2010. Web. 19 Dec 2010. <http://www.mdrc.org/publications/386/testimony.html>.

• Engel, Magorie. Divorce Help Sourcebook. 1st. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Inc, 1994. 233-234. Print.

• Hayman, Suzie. Single Parenting. London, UK: Hodder Education, 2008. 41-150. Print.

• Jost, K., & Robinson, M. (1991, June 7). Children and divorce. CQ Researcher, 1, 349-368. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/

• O'Neill, Rebecca. "Experiments in Living: The Fatherless Family." Civitas. N.p., September 2002. Web. 15 Dec 2010. <http://www.civitas.org.uk/pubs/experiments.php>.

Final Thoughts

•Children need a stable household to develop properly.

•They need an environment that is financially secure and has appropriate role models.

•Young adults need structure and guidance to be successful.