Compare and contrast - Essay Example

Throughout the history of mankind the concept of family has been one of the most important social bonds that influence our society. A traditional family nucleus is composed of a father, mother, and the children. The family unit lives under the same roof. They share time together and depend on each other for financial and emotional support. During the last couple of decades the composition of the traditional family unit is changing mainly due to the fact that divorce rates have gone up. In the United States 40% to 50% of all marriages end up in a divorce (Divorcerate).

Divorces have led to the rise of single parent families. The purpose of this paper is to compare growing up in a single parent family vs. a two parent family. The biggest victims in a divorce scenario are the children. The younger the children are the more impacted they are by a divorce. When two parents get divorce they are supposed to jointly care for the children. The wife typically gets custody of the children with the father having privileges of visiting or staying with the kids during weekends.

Children that are raised in a single parent family suffer from more emotional stress than dual parent homes. They do not get the chance to have two parents to rely on at all times. The financial resources of single parent families are lower than in two parent families. It is common knowledge that having more financial resources increases the quality of life of a family. Money does not buy happiness, but it enables the parents to buy clothes, food, medicine, toys, and entertainment for the children.

Due to the lower financial resources of single parent families the home or apartment they live in are inferior in terms of space and quality of neighborhood. There are some advantages to living in a single parent scenario. The children in these situations usually become more independent. They also may enjoy the love of two additional step parents and step siblings. Children that enjoy the privilege of living in dual parent families are better off than single parent families. They have at their disposal both their parents all the time.

These children do not have to go through the hassle of moving from one home to another on a weekly basis. The parents do not have to fight with each other over the affection of the kids. Dual parent families are in a better condition to save money for the college fund of their children. These families are able to enjoy more quality family time such as picnics, visits to the beach, and camping. In terms of education the children in dual parent families have at their disposal both their parents to help them with their homework and studies.

These kids also get more of an education on everyday life from their parents such as dating advice, driving lessons, and learning how to play sports. Having two parents is a great advantage for the development of adolescents. Work Cited Page Divorcerate.org. “Divorce Rate.” 7 March 2011.