CHILDREN IN SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES

Nina Chen, Ph.D.
Human Development Specialist

A single-parent family can function as a two-parent family.  This is very important because a child in a single parent family needs to feel secure and loved by both parents. 

Children need to be encouraged by the parent they live with to like both their mother and father.  Children need to be allowed to believe their parents and think well of the absent parent. 

If the absent parent has died, it may be easier for children to accept the truth that the missing parent had no choice in leaving the family.  Often, children respect and love their missing parent, even if the remaining parent remarries. 

Sometimes, it is not easy when the parents are separated or divorced.  If parents have a hard time dealing with separation or divorce, they may have a hard time helping their children to believe that both parents still love them. 

It will be helpful if children can be free to talk about the absent parent and meet the parent without feeling they are hurting the parent they live with.  Children will feel stressful if their parents continue to be angry after they are divorced or when relations with the parent not in

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