Single Parent Family Case Study

There are few family types in Malaysia such as nuclear family, single parent family and extended family. According to Schlee, Mullis, & Shriner (2008), the risk factors such as living in a single-parent family or low parent education levels, especially when combined with poverty, can markedly increase children’s chances of adverse outcomes. Therefore, the children from single parent family are affecting the children the most in learning process and development. According to the Sauvola (2001), the concept of the single-parent family is used when a family is formed of one custodial parent and a number of dependent children. There are some issues that faced by the single parents and how it affect young children’s learning and development in

For example, the single mother in the family has to become the caregiver of her child and the role of father as the mother need to go to work in order to earn money for the living cost. Besides, Leman (2005) stated that in Malaysia, single parenting issue is also on the rise, it was reported that single working mothers are producing delinquent children. Can you imagine how the single parent take care of his or her children if his or her have more than one child and on the other side, his or her need to work during the day? This will definitely be one of the issues that faced by the single parents. This issue indirectly bring negative outcomes among the children such as poor academic achievement of the children, children will having low self-esteem, emotional problems and children faced problems when maintaining the social relationships with others children. For example, when the single parent goes to work, they will send their child to the kindergarten for the whole day. The parent will come and pick their child after their work. The communication between parent and the child will become lesser because of the parent works for a long hour. Single parent usually do not have time to do revision with their child at the night

Amato (2005) stated that it is difficult for poor single parents to afford the books, home computers, and private lessons that make it easier for their children to succeed in school. One of the reasons is the insufficient income of the single parent that living in the urban area. Due to the high living cost in the urban area, single parent need to work for few jobs in order to overcome the financial problem in their family. This is because of the fact that actually the household expenses are supported by both of the parents in a family but after they get divorced, all of the household expenses cannot be share among them. This is called the loss of the economics of scale. Therefore, it is hard for the single parent to work after being housewife for a long time. According to Amato (2005), research showing that children do better at school and exhibit fewer behavioural problems when nonresident fathers pay child support likewise suggests the importance of income in facilitating children’s well-being in single-parent households. This shows that if the parent does not have sufficient income, the children will exhibit behavioural problems, poor nutrition and less material resources for nurturing children. The children will fight with their friend when their friend laughs on them about the old clothes that got hole on it. This is due the parent do not have the budget to buy a new clothes for