Why are there so many single-parent families nowadays?

Welcome to Fluther. We don’t do homework although we will help with pointers.

One reason to look at is the increase in divorce rates. Relationships don’t last like they once did.

Another factor is that it is now socially acceptable for women to have children without mates (the growth of sperm banks so some are choosing to be single parents.

There are more of them because it’s considered socially acceptable. Same with divorce. Back in the day, if you wanted out of a bad marriage, you couldn’t leave. The societal pressure to get and stay married was so strong that very few got divorced.

These days, raising children no longer requires 2 parents. I won’t comment on how good or not good I think that is but society clearly doesn’t have an issue with it anymore.

Causes of single parenthood:
Broken relationships/marriages
Death of a spouse
Personal choice

How they make it:
Working
Support from family/friends
Government assistance

Because sometimes it happens that things fall apart between S/Os. And then you do your best to keep your kids loved & fed & in school & in a home that you create for them.

Since no one else has mentioned it, I’ll say that in my personal opinion, it’s another symptom of the moral decline of America. Some people ideas of parenting are a joke, marriage is something that lasts as long as it takes the shiny and new to wear off. We just don’t have much substance anymore as people, a country full of narcissists.

I agree with the point that is now more socially acceptable for women to get out of a bad (abusive, neglectful) relationship or to choose to become a parent on her own. These are good things (particularly if adoption is involved in the latter example, IMHO)

That being said, I also agree with what @KNOWITALL said.

If I hear one more person who’s bailing on a half-baked, superficial excuse for a marriage say their ill-conceived (pun intended) children will “get over” the divorce because “kids are resilient” — I may just club them.

And don’t even get me started on “Baby Mamas” and “Baby Daddy’s”.

Since no one has mentioned it, one might argue that the success of campaigns and laws restricting access to safe and legal abortions, as well as the failure of “abstinence only” sex ed programs have both created an increase in unplanned pregnancies and single mothers.

I just wanted to put this out there. The increase in single-parent households doesn’t appear to be isolated to the United States.

They prepare to be poor.

It just appears that way since it is advertised and common.
In the past people did without formalities and just wandered away, from each spouse.
Check your famiuly history it happened all the time.

No, there is definitely more divorce today. There was a time when women absolutely could not survive in a society without a man. However, that started to change back the 60’s, when more opportunities for women to break into the workforce, and support themselves without a man, became available. They weren’t forced to stay in abusive relationships.
And, since then, many more men no longer take their responsibilities seriously. They figure “She divorced me, she can do it alone, I’m out.” Doesn’t matter that they still have children that need to be cared for. He’s just gone.

People divorce more readily these days. The stigma’s waned, so the splits are increasingly trivial.

Because society is going down the tubes, it cannot be better to have 1 parent over 2, I chalk it up to cheaters, selfishness & irresponsibilty, sorry it’s sounds bad – but that’s the way I see it, of course people who promote this idea will probably disagree..

I don’t think any one promotes the idea, @strangeuniverse. It just happens, for the reasons you named.

Yeah, I don’t know anyone who promotes single parenthood. Unless the other parent is abusive or whatnot, it’s best if there are 2 parents. I would roll my eyes and not trust the opinion of someone who genuinely believes that 1 loving parent is better than 2 loving parents.