Friday, July 6, 2007

Why Kids should be raised in a Nueclear Family

When I was growing up, My parents always tried to tell me right from wrong, what to do in certain situations, and all the stuff good parents teach their kids. When I entered elementary school, a lot of kids only had one parent. I always noticed that these kids had a lot of problems with their behavior and health. I now realize that all the troublemaking came from a what I believe was a lack good parenting. I believe that a kid that is raised with married parents will behave better and be more successful than kids that are raised with a single and divorced parents.
A lot of the single parents that had kids in my class looked poorly dressed. I naturally assumed that these families had a low income, which most single parents do have. It is proven that if the kids are raised in a poor family, the children are most likely to become poorly educated and not be able to make a decent income. Mary Parke, a writer whose works talk about other family related problems, writes in one of her articles: “A higher risk for negative educational outcomes for children in single-parent families is due to living with a significantly reduced household income.” Friends of mine (the ones with married parents) along with myself actually want to go to college and pursuit degrees and actually want to be successful in our lives. “Children raised in intact married families are more likely to attend college.”(Secretariat for Family, Laity Women & Youth)
During my elementary days, I also noticed that kids of single parents were always sick. If my parents knew I was sick, they would take me to a doctor immediately and I would usually recover in a couple of days. But these kids stayed sick for long periods of time, not to mention various bruises and injuries they “mysteriously” obtained. In “Are Married Parents Really Better for Children?” Parke quotes “one study found children living in single-parent homes were more likely to experience health problems, such as accidents, injuries, and poisonings.” In “Why do children need married parents?” The Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women & Youth, a religious organization that was written many family orientated articles, wrote “A child living with a single mother is 14 times more likely to suffer serious physical abuse than is a child living with married, biological parents.” If a mom is having trouble with an abusive boyfriend they are most likely to take it out on their kids . Also, the stress element associated with raising these children without help from another adult can lead to a greater possibility of abuse.(Mouring) Married parents usually make sure their kids are in top health and they have half the stress of raising children removed because the other partner can help take part in raising the children.
In my neighborhood, there are a lot of broken home families. My best friend and I always like to walk around the neighborhood just for fun and we have witnessed more arrests than some cops have in their career. The majority of the crime-doers come from a broken home. Every night I can hear my neighbor and her son yelling at the top of their lungs at each other. When they are done arguing the teen will usually walk out of the house and most of the time he would return in a police vehicle. Children raised in intact married families are less likely to use drugs or alcohol and to commit delinquent behaviors(Secretariat). The Institute for Marriage and Public Policy conducted a study on 23 broken home families and out of the 23 studies reviewed, all but three found that family structure had an effect on crime or delinquency. In 19 of these 20 studies where a negative family structure effect was found, children from non-intact or single parent families had higher rates of crime or delinquency. I was raised by my parents never to yell at them, just walkout of the house or even worst commit a crime and I have a pretty clean record and rarely cause major trouble.
I really think that having married parents raise you up is a great experience because they both can teach your right from wrong, take care of you when your not feeling up to par and encourage you to do your best. I love my parents to death and could not imagine how kids could not live with both their parents. I feel sorry for kids with single parents and how they have to suffer through all the hardships that their parent puts them through.

1 comment:

D Herrod said...

You raise some interesting points however you arguement appears superfical. Some children are more inclinded to health problems and this has nothing to do with their parents. I was raised in a very loving and supportive 2 parent home as well as extended family that helped out when needed. I also have a asthama and was often very sick. This was not do to lack of timely medical care.

While many relate proverty with lack of an education. Both of my parents grew up well below poverty level. Only one of my grandparents even graduated from high school. However both of my parents are college educated. My husband grew up lower income single parent home. He has 2 masters degrees and is working on his PhD. 2 of his three degrees are from top teir schools. I have a 2 college degrees from top regional schools and do not desire more education.

As a teacher and youth worker I have dealt with abuse many times. Child abuse is not limited to lower income and single parent homes. In fact it is just as likely to occur in "good" homes.

According to statics teens in low income and single parent families may be more prone to delinquency. This is a decieving stat. Some teens will be rebellious despite their home life. However teens from upper class income level homes are less likely to be in proscuted for delinquency. Some of the most rebelious and difficult teens that I dealt with where from these kinds of homes. Teens whose parent's are indulgent, uninvolved or refuse to hold them accountable are more likely to cause problems.