Motherhood can be a challenging task for women who are married and have a supportive father for their children. However, motherhood as a single woman can have even more challenges. Single mothers must be the mother, father, breadwinner, housekeeper, cook and disciplinarian. All of the child's needs are on the shoulders of a single mom, and this can be a stressful and difficult job.
Poverty
According to Dr. Mary Gatta, who is the director of Workforce Policy and Research at Rutgers University, single mothers are one of the fastest-growing groups in poverty. For single mothers with just a high school degree it can be hard to make ends meet, even working full time, getting just minimum wage. Even some women who have a college degree have lower incomes than men in their positions. This can make it hard to support a family if you are struggling with a limited income. In addition, affording all of the things a child will need, such as daycare, clothing, medical care, etc., can be very difficult on a limited income. Furthermore, women with limited education have fewer opportunities to move up the career ladder into better, higher-paying jobs.
Lack of Education
Getting an education can be very difficult for single mothers. According to Rutgers University, child care needs place a burden on a woman wishing to attend traditional education programs. If classes are offered at night, finding appropriate childcare for a child can be difficult. In addition, childcare is very expensive, and this may be money the single mother simply does not have. Furthermore, some single moms may have to work more than one job to make ends meet, and education may be unattainable due to time constraints. The lack of education will simply keep the single mom in the same job that she currently has and make it difficult for her to better herself.
Poor Parenting
Due to the stress of being the sole provider for the family, some single mothers can become poor parents. Many single mothers are not able to be there for their children because of long work schedules or working more than one job to make ends meet. This makes it difficult for single moms to spend time with their children. Many times single moms are so worn out when they are with their children they are not able to have quality time with their children. Cornell University reports that many single mothers lack the social, economic or parenting resources that promote good parenting.
