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Part Five Dimensions of Families
Death forces some people to accept the
responsibilities of single parenting. The fi nality of
the loss may be hard for these people to accept. The
needs of their children, however, may help them
overcome the feelings of personal loss. The surviving
family members need to offer each other special
emotional support in the readjustment period. A
main concern of these single parents is to prevent
themselves from growing too dependent on
their children. They must allow their children
to grow and to become independent and
responsible adults.
Support for the Single Parent
There are many sources of support
available for single parents, including
emotional support. Friends and other family
members may supply support and serve
as role models for the children. Businesses,
governments, and religious and community
organizations offer support and services. They
may provide child care programs or services
such as Big Brothers Big Sisters.
A single-parent family can provide a happy and
positive setting in which children feel loved and secure. See
14-4. As in any family structure, children in a single-parent family can
grow up to be cooperative, friendly, and responsible individuals.
The Stepfamily
Stepfamilies have become another major family structure in society.
In a stepfamily, either or both spouses have been married before and
have one or more children from a previous marriage. If both spouses had
been previously married, the stepfamily consists of two former nuclear
family structures. The couple may or may not add to the family by having
children of their own.
Relationships in stepfamilies may be complicated. For instance, one
stepfamily may include natural parents, brothers and sisters, stepparents
and stepchildren, and half sisters and half brothers. Add to this relatives
outside the immediate family. Children may have four sets of grandparents.
There may be increased fi nancial concerns in the stepfamily. A
larger household may create more fi nancial burdens. Alimony, child
support, or debts from previous marriages may also drain a stepfamily’s
fi nancial resources.
14-4
Members of a
single-parent family
can share many
enjoyable activities,
such as reading
together.
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