What is your definition of a single parent?

[? Johnny's Mommy ?]

Is it someone who's not married but has a child with the person they are dating/living with?

Is it someone who's not with the father of the child at all, but the father pays child support?

Is it someone who's not with the father of the child and also doesn't receive child support?

Is it all of the above? None of the above? Or something else?

I had a debate with a friend about this over the weekend, and was just curious what others think.
(FYI - I don't give out thumbs down)

[Momto2inFL]

A single parent (to me) is a person who is single, with no financial assistance (child support), with no mother/father in the picture, with no new husband/wife in the picture…simply doing it ALL on their own, with the help of family members or even less.

I tend to think that single parents are doing it completely on their own. You are still “single” and still a “parent” even if you receive child support and such. But you’re getting help as opposed to a person who dealing with a deadbeat.

Again, just my way of thinking.

** ADD **
Note: I don’t consider a person who does receive financial support to be a single parent because they’re far better off than most people. (Those dealing with deadbeats) And I also don’t quite consider that a “single parent” because I think back to my husband who had split custody, we had my stepdaughter every other weekend (legally) but took her ALL the time. Her mother would cry “Single parent” all the time. But was she? She got child support plus everything else we gave her for their daughter and he took her all the time as well as when it wasn’t “our time” and her mother wanted a few days to herself. Most TRUE Single parents, don’t get that type of help. They’re solely on their own.

[Raffy]

Someone who is single and the sole provider and caretaker of the child with no ones help whatsoever.

[??No Use For A Name ??]

My opinion of a "single parent" is one person who raises a child on their own without the help or support (be it financial or not) of a partner

[Heather Leigh]

I don't think there is a clear definition. I think it is someone that is not with the child's parent whether or not they are receiving child support. I was a single parent after my divorce even though my ex and I had joint custody. It was exactly 50/50. but, still was a single parent.

[~Lauren~]

I say number 3! Two and Three could both be considered single but in my case I know a few people who are 'single' but the father pays child support and picks up the kids every weekend and a couple of days during the week and goes to all school funtions and such. To ME that isn't really single because you have the support money and physical wise. To me a single parent is do it all by them selves.


So what would it fall into if you have two children whom there 'father' never sees or pays child support but there is another man taking caring of them?

Oh okay some others answers made alot of sense! I think I am a half-single parent, lmao! My husband leaves really early and he doesn't come home untill after the kids are in bed so there for even though he provides finacially I still do all the disipling, prasing, potty traing, bathsm bed etc. Hmmmm, Okay sorry your question was serious and I'm turning it another way. Just go back to my first paragraph and thats my answer : )

[Linc's Mommy]

My sister, she is married to the father of her son, but they separated, the father did not support even any single cent to their son, i consider my sister as a single parent.

My husband has 1 child to other woman, they are not married even they are not in love to each other, just they make sex (once) and the girl got pregnant, but my husband supported their son's necessity, still i consider the mother of my husband's son as a single parent, coz she is alone raising their son though she get support from the father....but still the father is not living with them.

"on my opinion only"

[Jax's mama]

I would say that "single parent" for me most closely resembles #3- dad is not in the picture and not paying child support.

As a single parent I am responsible for every aspect of my sons life. There is no one else taking him to daycare or buying him clothes, or doing anything to take the load off of me.

I would say that #2 is a lot like this but it is the aspect of income that makes me choose #3. Wow, what's child support? That may really help out but I would not know!

[BumpFairy]

My mother raised myself and my three siblings all on her own after my father left us when I was 4. She gave up all her hopes and dreams and goals to raise successful, productive, happy members of society. She also got He paid in monthly. But she raised us. She was single, and she was my parent. Raising a child alone ( without a spouce or other live-in partner), regardless of financial status, makes you a single parent. Millionaires, who raise their children themselves, are single parents. Poverty stricken women whose "child support" is a hundred bucks a month who give up all the perks of a second parent are single parents. Women who share housing space with other single moms to make a single income work for them are single parents. Any child who grows up with just Mom or just Dad in the home was raised by a single parent.