For some reasons or another, it is inevitable for many parents to be thrust into situations, either by choice or by circumstances, where they have to raise their children single-handedly. Broken marriages, death of a spouse, and personal choice to remain single parents without entering into the bond of marriage are common reasons for single parenthood. Statistics reveal that the number of single parents worldwide is constantly on the rise. For example, in a census conducted in 2010, Korea showed that over a million of households were run by single parents. While in the United Kingdom, 26 percent of all families are led by people of the same status, and; in the United States, more than 13 million are single parents. Of these single parents, 83 percent are women.  Furthermore, statistics show that 80 percent of the single mothers are employed, of whom 50 percent work full-time and 30 percent work part-time.

No matter how one gets into this situation, single parenting, specifically for first timers, is definitely an arduous and physically and emotionally-draining reality. It is no trivial matter to be juggling two major tasks, that of a caring, gentle mother and a providing father, all at the same time.  Not only that. It could also take a heavy toll on the single parent’s professional as well as personal life. Going through the situation is most difficult during the first few months or years because of the unprecedented activities and decisions a single parent has to undertake.  Since parenting alone can be so demanding and stressful, it is during this period, therefore, that a single mother or single father needs support the most.

Fortunately, there are organizations and fora that are particularly set up for the purpose of providing moral, emotional, financial, psychological, and other forms of support to single parents.  These organizations are usually composed of single parents themselves, family members, friends, and supporters who decide to group together, either formally or informally. Support groups play very important role in a single parent’s life because it is where a single mother or single father can obtain encouragement and understanding from members. Group members volunteer to provide baby-sitting service when necessary, share their own experiences for others to learn from, and ultimately help each other get back on their feet again.  Besides, these groups open avenues where new single parents may gain or expand their social circles, obtain assistance, or gather vital information in getting government support, employment arrangements, and other services.

It is advisable that new single parents joined any of these particular groups to somehow ease their burden and gain helpful insights about coping up and effective child rearing in a new set-up. Talking with fellow single parents can somehow give them a feeling of assurance that they are not alone; that they can raise their children properly without a partner, and; that they merit respect as parents and as individual persons.

Moreover, joining any of these support groups benefits not only the single parents themselves, but it also allows their children the chance to interact with their peers so that they eventually boost their own morale knowing that they are not alone.

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