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Advantages of Single Parenting
When it Comes to Adoption
Advantages of single parenting - are there any?
If you are single and contemplating building a family on your own, you may be concerned about the impact it will have on the child you want raise.
As an adult raised by a single parent, I have to be honest with you.
There will be times when it's going to be tough for your child.
Spending time with friends who grew up with both parents made it painfully obvious to what I was missing out on.
But looking back, I realize a great deal of the trauma I experienced in my childhood came from my parents' divorce rather than being raised by only my mom.
With that in mind, here are some advantages of single parenting when it comes to adoption and going it alone.
Sad Statistics
In their book, Growing Up With a Single Parent: What Hurts, What Helps
, Sara McLanahan and Gary D. Sandefur say studies show children raised by single parents have an increased risk of high school dropouts, unwed pregnancies and a lack of success in early adulthood.
But
It's not being raised by a single mom or dad that is usually the problem.
Instead it has to do with how much social capital you have.
Social capital is a term used by sociologist James Coleman to describe the support network you have with friends, family and community - people with whom you have a relationship and who you trust - that you can turn to for advice, help and even that small loan from time to time.
If you have this kind of backup in your life, you're likely to do just fine raising children on your own.
In Fact
You're better off than the recently divorced moms (and dads).
After the trauma of a divorce, these parents are likely to lose crucial support during the painful breakup, something that can be devastating to their children.
One of the advantages of single parenting from the start - as opposed to becoming a single parent through divorce - is your social capital isn't going anywhere.
Income Level
Another crucial factor in raising a happy, successful child is your income level.
One of the advantages of single parenting through adoption is income level usually isn't an issue with a single mom or dad who is looking to adopt a child.
After all, if you can afford an adoption - especially an international adoption - you can afford raising a child.
Those parents who wind up parenting on their own through divorce or an unwanted pregnancy also typically have a much lower income, leaving their children at a distinct disadvantage.
So if you desperately want a child, don't let the fact that you are single deter you from building your family through adoption.
Despite the statistics, your child is more likely than not to have a great life.
More Information on Raising Adopted Children
Are you wondering how your child will react to being adopted once she is grown? Learn what it's like to be an adoptee grown up.
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