The New Face of Single Parenting: Black Males

When two people get together to create new life, it is not generally the intention that only one of the individuals will take full responsibility for raising the child.  Whether the child was conceived within or outside of wedlock, single parenting is generally not the objective.  There are, of course, exceptions to this rule.  But generally speaking, either things don’t work out between the two parents, or, in the case of unwanted pregnancy, the child can start life out with only one parent to begin with.

Traditional Single Parenting

Traditionally, female single parents (mothers) have been much more common than male single parents (fathers).  In child custody cases courts have generally favored mothers over fathers.  In the past, it was not uncommon for people to assume that a single father must be a widower, because otherwise the children would simply be with their mother. 

Single Fathers

This is done when both the single father and single mother share custody and care of their children.  The time is simply divided up between the two homes. 

Increased male involvement, however, combined with increased female pursuit of career has also led to growing ranks of single fathers as primary caregivers.  Many don’t know this, but there are single father grants available to help dads who are raising children alone.  It is becoming increasingly common to see single fathers taking full responsibility for the care of their children, whether the mother is involved in the kids’ lives or not.

There are other, less happy circumstances under which fathers are the ones doing the single parenting.  These situations involve cases where the mother may be deemed (by a court or by her own self) unsuitable to care for her own children.  Single parenting grants can be very helpful in these situations, especially if the mother is not able to contribute financially to the raising of her children.

Black Males and Single Parenting

Black males, like white males, are stepping up to the plate in terms of raising their children.  Federal assistance and single parenting grants make raising children alone seem feasible to black males who might otherwise be scared to take on such a huge responsibility.  Black males, as well as white males and females in general, are more generally accepted as suitable single parents than they ever were before.  Black males as single fathers have more rights today, (inside the courtroom and outside of it) than they ever did before.  Likewise, females are less harshly judged for allowing the father to take full responsibility for child rearing in child custody cases.  The changing face of single parenting is making it easier and easier for loving fathers as well as career minded mothers to take on non-traditional roles that work in the best interest of the children.