who thinks single mums are negatively portrayed?

Question

I am hoping to start a research project on attitudes to single mums. Do you believe that single mums really wanted the life they had etc? What is your first reaction when you think of single mum?

Answer 1

When i think of a single mother i think how hard it must be for them but i do not look down on them and i am sure they did not intend on life to be that way but you have to do what you have to do.

Answer 2

I think they are negatively portrayed simply because most single moms are young and never wanted the child to begin with.
I know that seems like a generality but it seems that way.

Single mothers have a much harder go at it than parents who are together for the child.

From what I see most single mothers bust their butts to pay bills and raise their children but at the same time a lot are out partying, sleeping around and clearly not learning from their first pregnancy.

I don't have a positive or negative opinion of single mothers simply because I'm only 20 years old. I don't know what my future holds.

Answer 3

I guess it depends on how they became a single mom. I am now a single father. My wife decided to leave. I have custody of the kids and she gets supervised visitation. It was her choice to do the things she did. So in this case I would think negative towards single mothers. Also, If they had unprotected sex as a minor, I would think negatively. Now if the husband abandoned her, then I would want to be supportive towards them. It all depends on how she become the single mother. Different feelings different reasons.

Answer 4

Yes I'm a single mum of 3 with no support,
No family, no parents and I live in a new town
One of my children has behavioural problems but they won't assess her
All I needed was a break but they accused me of neglect and abuse
I was young only 20 but I was married, had a mortgage and my husband earnt £40,000 pa unfortunatly he turned into a drunk and hurt me,
That's how I became a single Mum

Answer 5

The majority of single mothers did not choose their lifestyle. However, for society to portray single motherhood as a positive thing would be very harmful since single moms are statistically:

1. Poorer
2. Less likely to finish high school and college
3. More likely to suffer from abuse and violence
4. More likely to abuse drugs and alcohol

So to answer your question - YES they are negatively portrayed and for good reasons. No one is saying they want to be single - what we are saying is that women should be careful about the choices they make (i.e. sexually) because it can LEAD TO single motherhood which is "generally" not a good place to be.

Those are the facts, not my opinion.

Answer 6

Not all single moms are portrayed in a negative light. I think it has more to do with age and how many children they have. When you see a teen with 3 and more children its like sheesh have you not learned??? I dont understand why when teens have 1 kid they are so quick to have another I see it all the time. I want to slap some sense in to them and fast. They are on medicaid and unemployed yet having baby number 3 and more before 25. Something is wrong the system big time. We need to stop enabling these young women to continually have babies and be on Gov. Asst ie medicaid, AFDC(Aid to families with dependant children, housing, WIC(Women, Infant, Children), etc... It is a revolving cycle their parents in most cases were teen parents who didnt know how to parent to them yet they end up doing the very thing that shouldve been a wake up call ie.. not wanting to be a teen parent because I have no education, no job, no money, no car, since I see how hard it is for my SINGLE MOTHER. The guy isnt involved except to come around and stick em with another baby then he is gone yet again. Its like TEEN GIRLS WAKE THE HE@@ UP. Why keep allowing these jokers to use your body up,impregnating you and not helping you take care of the kids you already have. Whats so upsetting is America has all kinds of accessible information ie.. Planned Parenthood who gives out pamphlets, condoms, birth control, counseling etc.. yet these kids dont take the neccessary precautions which lets us know they are continually have unprotected sex which there have been teens I have come in contact with who are finding out once they deliver they are HIV positive. Alot of teens are more nervous about becoming pregnant than contracting an STD. PUHLEASE WAKE UP TEENS CAUSE IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU and if you continue to have unprotected sex IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU cause it is happening everyday. Sorry So long.

Answer 7

I think YOUNG single moms are negatively portrayed, but there are so many single parent families today due to divorce that not many people batt an eye if they are in their late 20s or older.

Me personally, I feel sorry for young single moms especially those with no family support. If only they had decent info and access to birth control. I know many single parents, so don't think anything negative about that.

Answer 8

Being a single mom I think the worse opinions come from those who pity us. Did I plan for this life? No Did I do it to myself? Yes We don't want pity we want to be treated as compent adults.
But yes the attitudes about single moms suck. Somehow most people look at similar situations but the one with a mom and dad is immediately acceptable and the one with a single parent is not.

Answer 9

as a former single mother,

I think many are great,
some are TERRIBLE

there is no inbetween

sad but true

AND sadly enough many WANTED it to be that way but not all

Answer 10

i think there is a stigma, it is sad