According to research from the CDC, the divorce rate in the U.S. is around 2.3 per 1,000 people. While this rate has decreased in recent years, divorce still impacts many households.
Keep reading to learn about what struggles single parent households endure.
Financial Struggles
Financial issues or arguments over money are common reasons for divorce or separation. If feuds about overspending, credit card usage, or other financial disagreements caused your split, then being a single parent may come with additional hardships.
Research shows that household earnings drop by 40-45% among couples divorced for six or more years. Losing a portion of shared income requires one to cut costs wherever possible, even if the budget is already tight.
Custody Agreements
A custody agreement must be reached when a couple undergoes a divorce where children are involved. Child custody agreements types include:
Joint Legal Custody
The parents share legal custody over the children, meaning both parents are involved in the children’s lives. It is thought to be the fairest for child welfare. Children may alternate sets of days or weeks at your household, then the other.
Sole Custody
One parent has complete and total custody of the children. The court may determine this if the other parent is abusive or deliberately surrenders responsibility.
While courts tend to favor joint custody, children may feel detached and don’t have a place they belong. On the other hand, sole custody limits opportunities for children to learn from the other parent.
At the end of the day, the children come first. Learn more about co-parenting strategies after a divorce in this article.
Feeling Overwhelmed
When one parent is responsible for making the majority of the child-rearing decisions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Divorce comes with schedule changes, adjustments in parenting style, and finding a new work-life balance.
When you spend so much time, and energy caring for children, finding time to process feelings, set boundaries, or maintain social relationships isn’t easy. Single parents suffer from higher rates of burn-out, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders.
Difficulty Forming New Relationships
The idea of forming new relationships as a single parent is intimidating, to say the least. There is the fear of introducing your family to a new person only for the relationship not to work out. It may feel unfair to subject children to another breakup.
Clear and open communication about past relationships is crucial for a successful new bond. Allow your children to become involved before thoroughly blending your life together with a new partner.
These Are the Struggles of Single Parent Households
Single parent households face many difficulties like lower income, increased amounts of stress, and trouble forming new relationships. However, sometimes you can work out joint custody or co-parenting agreements for the benefit of the child. It may be hard work, but if single parenting is the best option, find community support to help you through the process.
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