Original: Single Parent Community

The resources available to the single parent community have also changed and this has had a great impact on the community in general. The fact that 20 years ago there were not many classes or groups or events geared towards the single parent community really limited them in the contact they had with other single parent families; families of their own community. With the internet being so readily available now, this provides many opportunities for single parents to connect with others in their community. Websites like “Singlefamilyvoices.com” provide single parents an opportunity to meet, chat and find support within their community. There are also many dating websites for single parents like “Goodsingleparents.com or Iheartsingleparents.com.” All of these places provide networking within the single parent community, networking that was not readily available 20 years ago.

The major benefit to a community that shares in your family situation is above all, understanding. For someone to be able to understand your situation, and your struggles and your insecurities is invaluable. In the essay, “A Secret Society of the Starving” by Mim Udovitch, she states, “Pro-ana, the basic premise of which is that an eating disorder is not a disorder but a lifestyle choice…” (113). This is how a lot of people view the members of the single parent community. Many people naively believe that this is a choice someone makes; a choice to be a single parent. I won’t deny that some people do make that choice. Like the single mother in California that decided to go through in-vitro fertilization to have more children knowing that she would still be a single parent when she had those babies; that is obviously a choice she made. The majority of people don’t willingly become single parents, and for some people, they choose to become single parents for the better or for the safety of themselves and their children. Not everyone understands what single parents are going through 20 years ago or today, so being in a single parent community helps provide them with a sense of belonging and stability.