We hear how difficult it can be to be a single mother and hold a career. A few fathers may have this problem so it applies equally to all those single fathers out there as well. Few of us know really how many hurdles these woman (single parents) have to go through in order to advance in their careers. Hurdles often include skills, wages and competing interests.
The Department of Labor states that about 69% of all single mothers are working. This number shows some indication of decline as the economy sours. Since such woman have competing interests, have more problems, often less skills, and must balance between work & family they are typically one of the first groups to lose their jobs. Even while working they have some of the lowest income levels. The problems these woman face can be summarized as follows:
Skills
Many of the working mothers have only sporadic prior experience. Since they have been busy raising children many of these mothers have not had the opportunity to attend trade schools or colleges. Furthermore, a career is developed over time and in many cases these woman have moved in and out of the workforce thereby they are unable to maintain a career.
Competing Interests
Businesses love when employees are committed to the company's success. The problem is that mothers sometimes come in late, must leave early and take additional days off to either recover themselves or take care of a sick child. If the babysitter calls off they are required to stay at home to watch their children. The more resources they have in terms of friends and family members the more likely they will be able to maintain a successful career.
Low Wages
Women are generally paid slightly less than men. When we add the lack of education and the sporadic work experience many woman are qualified only for entry level positions with subsistence pay. These low wages must be divided up for housing, food, clothing, children's medical needs, transportation, etc. With a low budget many woman are not able to provide for their children's future, may have chronic car problems because they can't afford maintenance, and may not be able to purchase all the luxuries of others. These low wages causes the next generation to repeat the problems of their mothers.
The next time a single mother makes a mistake please consider the turmoil these woman (and men) have to go through in order to survive. Each and everyday is a struggle to keep all the ends tied together and a problem in one area may cause the whole tightly knit ball to unwind. Companies that offer flexible schedules, promotion from within, job training, medical benefits and child care allotments do these women a great service.
Murad Ali
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