Being a Single Parent

Being a single parent is hard no matter if it's male or female. I had this nice conversation about the stereotypes of "single mom" versus "single dad" with my mom last night. Now my opinion on it is that the world is more sympathetic to a single mom then they are to a single father, that when people hear the words "single mom" they picture a hard working attractive women with three or so adorable kids, that ended up that way cause the no good father is either dead, in prison, or ran off with some tramp. When people hear "single dad" we get pictured as a guy with some mismatched dressed child, house that's a wreck, and messy from laundry and dishes. Why is it that people are that way?

I think it is because of the way the TV shows and the movies show us, look at "Two and a Half Men" for example; both of the men are constantly forgetting the kid in some way shape or form. Now every TV show that's about single women, they are perfect, they are about the struggles that they go through raising children by themselves, with some help from family members. Even in the working world they are more sympathetic to single mothers, I'm in the service, and I see it everyday. If a single mom has to do something with their child or children its okay, if a single dad has something to do with their kid, well it must be an excuse to get out of work or duty.

Wash it all at once...why not?

Now I can see why that is so, for it sells, and it is so common place to see a "single mom", plus they are more active in their parenting; no I don't mean in the way they raise their children, I mean by being active with blogs, at the bus stop, the schools, and the parks. Us men are more to ourselves, sometimes feeling out of place, I'm not going to lie I feel awkward when I go to a school event for my son, and I walk into a class room full of kids and women. I kind of find myself sometimes just being rather then being apart of the show, being gawked at with those looks of questions. Which is why I intend to do better through out the next following years to come, meaning I will be just as active as every other mother.

Now my mothers opinion is that due to the changes in time that there are more and more single fathers these days then before, but that women still have it harder to raise a child. That women struggle with income,  versus the man that makes more money on average the does his counterpart of the woman who do the same work. That as a man respect is given easier from the children then it is for the women. That most times the kids blame the mother on why there isn't a father in their life. That jobs understand because of it, and that people these days don't always think of it as the father stepped out on the wife and kids, but that the woman must have done something wrong for him too leave.

Now my mother is a single mom, I give her so much credit for making me the man that I'am today, the reason that women are queens in my eyes. I have been through the struggles with her, seen the pain in her eyes as she explained too my younger siblings that their father wasn't going to make it to spend time with them. I give made props to my mom, and many women out there that are just like her, that keep there head up, and raise their children with little to no help from the other parent. I know enough single mothers too know that it is tough, but at the same time, me being new to this single parenting thing I also am open to the way the different single "sexes" are looked upon in the world. Men and women are not equals in the world of raising kids, women are more active in the roles of public view then men are, they seek expert advice out on parenting, buy books and magazines, men are more likely to observe, and ask our sisters with children if we are lucky.

That's just my thoughts, take it or leave it. Crossed my mind from something I read about single parenting and how it was mentioned that being a single mom was so hard, but nothing was mentioned about a single father and his struggles in the world. Always remember, keep your head up!!!