Do you think single parents are looked down on in the UK?

Answer 1

Yes.... unfortunately, I think they are. I think it depends... if it's a young single mother then people are far more likely to look down on her as opposed to someone who is a bit older, or a single father....

It also depends on whether the mother is working on supporting her children herself or whether she is just claiming benefits and expecting other people to look after her children while she works on having a few more children

Those single parents who manage to look after their children on their own and keep up a job, I think they get respect though... My stepmum was a single mother of two twin girls before she met my dad and she managed to look after them and hold down 2 jobs to support them! I don't think anyone could look down on that!

Answer 2

I don't think...I KNOW. I am one, I'm not a deadbeat loser and I didn't get pregnant to get a house, though I'm treated like that.
I work during school hours. I still need benefits as the pay is too low, I don't have a trade so limited in jobs. And how much can you earn between 9 and 3pm? And what employer in this country will let you go at 3pm? Even a college won't do that.I'm doing a degree though, but I won't put my daughter with anyone while I work. I'm there for her, even if I've got no clothes to wear. I took a job I could take her with me to. If it isn't allowed, I'll simply wait until she's older before earning more money. She comes first.
In Scandinavia they look after their single parents, they value them. They recognise that they are doing an extremely important job - possibly the most important.
In the UK, why do have yob culture? Hoodies? So much knife and gun crime? Why are people so negative and unfriendly? Because their mothers are not around, they are at work. In the UK material possessions and status are more important than people.
Single parents are thought of as scum here. The biggest mistake I made in my life was staying in this god-forsaken snobby country.

As for some of the answers on here, and to other similar questions, I don't understand the hate towards people on benefits and single parents. You people are pure evil, and you should be shot quickly.

Answer 3

Having been a single parent I can say yes they are, everyone seems to think that all single parents are lazy people who wanted a house and some free money and are generally not nice people, who let their children run wild.

I remember when I moved into my first house with my son who was 6 at the time, so the getting a house right away thing is way off, my new neighbours after getting to know me and my son told me they had been worried about a single parent moving in and that I wasn't what they expected at all.

The elderly neighbour who lived next to me even commented on how well behaved my son was and how polite he was.

As for being lazy and money grabbers, I got a job and yes although I still needed some help with rent etc, I was still earning and being a responsible parent showing my son how life is and encouraging him to do better because our life was not all it could be, time went on and I got more work.

My son now is at university, I always taught him that education was important and that manners cost you nothing.

Answer 4

Simple answer ... Yes.
But let me get this across.. There is Nothing wrong in being a single parent.
What ever the reason we do our best to bring up our children the best way we can and for some that means alone.

Downsides.. I can not take my children swimming.. Why you ask.. Because someone says the child to adult ratio has to be 1 adult 2 children.. Great I have 4 children.
Try getting four small children on a bus. Great fun with the driver moving off before you are seated. need car!

Up sides.. Nothing better than knowing your doing a good job.

Answer 5

I think some are and some aren't. I've always worked since i left school and paid tax and national insurance, for the best part of 12 years. The father of my son left us three years ago and since then we've been living on benefits with his father contributing to what i get through his child support payments. It's been really hard but i was determined to stay home and raise my son and give him the best start in life i could and have always intended to go back to work when he starts school full time, which is next week. Those who know my situation have nothing but good to say about me staying home with my son. They know i've previously paid plenty into the system and that i will again and that my life has been on hold for the last three years, no nights out, nice clothes and such like. But there are single parents who don't put thier children first and have them doing without so they can go out and party and have nice trendy clothes. They will get looked down upon and so they should. The government doesn't pay benefits so you can go and get drunk.

Answer 6

i think they are all tarred with the same brush. I am single parent of 2 boys and have been since their dad walked out 8 years ago.....I totally agree with family love....why is it the mothers are slated, yet a lot of the time the dad has walked away from his responsibilities. And single dads are seen as near saints!!

I was married for 10 years, so i didnt just open my legs as one person has put so eloquently. I have always worked full time, because i have to, luckily i have a good job, i have always owned my own home in a nice area and this is something i believe is best for my children. Yes i could probably of got a council house and benefits, but that lifestyle wasnt something i wanted for myself or my children.

society judges us, blames us for all the ills in the country and we feel we have to justify why we are single parents etc

I think people do not realise just how hard life can be for single parents and im not just talking about money, but the juggling of your time, the pure physical and emotional exhaustion, the lack of support from the other parent. Most of us didnt ask to be in this situation, we just have to try to make the best of it.

Answer 7

Yes, but wrongly so. Both my best friend and aunt are single parents and their kids have turned out like angels compared to many kids with two parents that I know.

My Father and stepmother have a 17 year old, he was spoilt rotten, had everything he ever wanted. Now he binge drinks, smokes and it violent towards my Father. My Aunt's boy is the same age, he was brought up without luxuries and he is the most polite, well mannered and respectful boy. It's nothing to do with the amount of parents, it's the parenting itself.

South Londoner - they both have jobs and their own houses, and are divorced due to idiotic husbands who could not be bothered to pay the mortgage.

Answer 8

Just as with anyone else - it depends how they behave - and unfortunately so many behave inappropriately, eg don't work - live off benefits - yet seem to have enough money to dress very trendily, and go out pubbing or clubbing; and all the others who are diligent and look after their children well, take responsibility etc get forgotten about. This also applies to more than single mothers. People judge.

EDIT - The question asked if single parents are looked down on in the UK - and my answer was to that question, it wasn't do I look down on single parents - I was one for a long time myself - so the thumbs down were inappropriate.

Answer 9

Single parents shouldn't be looked down on at all. I hear people, couples, complaining how hard it is to raise 1 to 2 kids and single parents should be praised. That is extremely difficult to do.

Answer 10

No doubt about it! Single parents are considered to be incapable of raising their children without the need of significant government support.

Obviously, it is believed that since there is no partner providing financial support for the family, and the mother is required to dedicate herself full-time to the provision of care to the child in question, that single-parent families are inferior to couples raising a child.

That said, there is a significantly smaller backlash to a single parent raising a child than there is to a same-sex couple doing the same!

Answer 11

Women staying at home with the kids, yes! Working mums - not so much. Its the world we live in and yet we still have issues with silly things. I was a single parent for a while and it was very hard. I take my hat off to single parents.