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Amanda Buras
December 8, 2015
Single-Parents Affects Children
Soc 322
T/Th at 5:30

Introduction
The type of family a student comes from, whether it is a single or two-parent home, will
reflect on how well the child is doing in school. Teachers have observed that children from
homes whose parents are still together often do better. This could be due to the support and
proper attention children are given which allow their behavior to be better. In addition, it could
be the messages children are receiving from their teachers, which stem from how their life is at
home. Issues that arise from single parent homes are that there is little to no supervision in
single-parent homes. As a result, children from single-parent homes do poorly in school
compared to children who come from a two-parent home.
Two-Parent Homes Reflect Better on Children
When children come from home to school and depending on how their home life is, they
will have a different view on how their life is thus their behavior will reflect as so. Children are
influenced by many things and will pick up on attitudes and behaviors that they are constantly
around. Fuller (1984) found that her study showed that elementary school teachers from a certain
district perceived the school behaviors of children from intact homes more positively than did
children from single-parent homes (p. 371). Typically, children from single-parent households
have more responsibilities in caring for themselves as well as helping out around the house. If
the parent is stressed or working long hours, the child may not be receiving the care or attention
they need. This may result in the child having bad behavior at school. But if children are from a
two-parent home, they do receive the necessary attention and help they need which will reflect
by them having better behavior in school. However, the childs behavior at school is not the only
factor that plays a role; the opinion and comments from their educational environment affects
their academic achievement.

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The way a child sees themselves is based off of the feedback and criticism they get from
people around them which can either help or hinder their success in their academic achievement.
If a child is given acknowledgement for the good things they have done, it will help them
continue to do good things, however, if a child is struggling and is only told that they are
constantly doing things wrong, it can have a negative affect on them. Fuller (1984) found that
children from homes that are intact receive positive messages from people within their
educational environment, which reinforces their positive self-concepts; but for children of singleparent homes receive negative messages which can hinder their self-concept (p. 372). When
children are misbehaving, it could mean a few different things but it could be them attempting to
get attention, even if it is not in the right way. When children are not receiving the attention they
need, they will do anything in order to obtain it. Single-parents are very busy with juggling their
children, their work and their own life so they may be neglecting to give proper attention to their
children. In doing so, the child may have a negative outlook on themselves and may react poorly
because of it. But, the way they view themselves and the opinions of others are not the only
aspect from single-parents that could reflect poorly on a childs academic achievement, little
parental involvement plays a role too.
Problem from Single-Parent Homes
When there is only one parental figure in the household, it makes it harder for the parent
to keep an eye on their children as well as being involved in their academics. Parents are busy
trying to make ends meet in order to make sure their child is cared for. By doing so, this means
they are working long hours at work, and spending less time at home with their children.
According to Suet-Ling Pong, Dronkers, & Hampden-Thompson (2003), they found that more
often than not, there was lower parental involvement in the students education as well as lower

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expectorations and less supervision over the child (p. 682). Children end up with less supervision
and parental involvement in their life because their parent is trying to work longer hours in order
to make enough to support their family. Children are left alone more as well as their parents may
not have high expectations; as long as they go to school and help out around the house, that may
be all they are looking for. If the parents are not involved in their academics and watching
carefully what the child is doing, it will show in how the student is performing in school. Being a
single parent takes more time and effort to make sure their child is succeeding in school and
doing well overall.
Conclusion
A childs home life makes a big impression on the child and will have a lasting affect on
them, depending on if they have a single or a two-parent home. The effects of a single-parent
household results negatively on the students academic performance. Students typically have
behavioral problems in school; teachers observe that they receive negative messages, which hurts
how they view themselves as well as little parental involvement in education and supervision.
Each of these aspects come from being a single-parent household and that these aspects are
effecting a childs academic achievement.

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References
Fuller, M. L.. (1984). Teachers' Perceptions of Parents from Intact and Single Parent
Families. Educational Horizons, 62(3), 9495. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/42924593
Suet-Ling, P., Dronkers, J., & Hampden-Thompson, G. (2003). Family Policies and Childrens
School Achievement in Single- Versus Two-Parent Families. Journal of Marriage &
Family, 65(3), 681-699.

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Sociology Paper Outline
Two parent homes reflect better on children
Negative outweighs positives (art. 1)
This study demonstrated that elementary school teachers from this district perceive the school
behaviors of children from intact homes more positively than did children from single-parent
homes. (p. 371)
Given the theoretical position of my article, children from intact homes in this district are more
likely to receive positive messages from their educational environment thus reinforcing their
positive self-concepts; whereas children from single-parent homes receive negative messages
that diminish self-concept. (p. 372)
Problems from Single-Parent Homes
Reasons for poor achievement (art. 2):
On average, parental involvement in childs schooling is lower, and there is less supervision and
lower expectation of the child. (p. 682)