YourTango has a post titled 11 Things Single Parents Don’t Want To Hear. Note the euphemism “single parent” when what they really mean is “single mother”. The stigma against single mothers is clearly creeping back, and this will only accelerate.
Number one on the list is not to refer to single mothers as a “baby mama” and their child’s father as “baby daddy”. No surprise here. These terms make unwed motherhood sound trashy, low status, and low class. Again, the stigma is creeping back in, and it will only get worse.
But what really stands out is how not having the father in the household is a great hardship for the mother, but somehow not for her kids. When the hardship of a broken home is experienced by mom it is all too real:
10. How do you afford it? By working my butt off every day of the week!
11. Oh, come on. Being a single parent isn’t that hard. Really? Would you like to try it?
But any suggestion that her kids suffer as a result of growing up in the chaos of a broken home is dismissed outright:
4. Your poor kids have to grow up without a positive male role model. Between their grandfathers, uncles, teachers, and their father, I think they’ll be ok.
5. It’s shame. Kids really need both their parents. Would you say that to a single parent whose partner passed away?
8. Your kids are going to have some serious relationship issues. Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see the crystal ball in your hands. Please, tell me more about my children’s futures.
The only time she recognizes the harm this does to her kids is from the context of how their misery impacts her:
6. It must be nice to get a break from the kids every now and then. You’re right. It’s so nice to hear my kids cry because they’re sick of being shuttled between houses every week.
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