Single Parenting In Jamaica
by Nemonie Cassells
Single parenting, just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable. This type of family is ever so present and more acceptable of late all over the world, but it seem to have been a norm here in Jamaica ever since I was a child.
I remember vividly as a toddler living with my mom, it was just her and my older bother. Then my baby sister came along and it was just us four until my dad took me to live with him in the city.
My mother raised my brother and sister all by herself, with little or no financial help, while my father raised me and my younger sister with the help of a nanny for a while.
He eventually got married when I was a teen, but before then, my household would still be considered a single parent household since there was no permanent mother figure.
I am a parent now, and am grateful that I am not raising my children by myself! This however, does not dismiss the effects of being raised in a single parent home and it does not dismiss the fact that thousands of Jamaicans were raised in single parent homes - a lot who are now raising their children in a single parent home themselves!
It is my opinion that, 6 out of every 10 Jamaican families are single parent families, however to get statistical information please see visit this link form Unicef:
https://www.unicef.org/jamaica/parenting_corner.html
What Do We Mean By Single Parenting Though?
Single parenting is basically where an unwed, unattached, spouse-less (whichever term you prefer), parent, who takes on most, if not all, of the day to day responsibilities of raising a child/children.
In most cases, you will find that the mothers are the primary care givers in a single parent household in Jamaica.
Whether other family members, such as grandparents (most often the grandmothers), are present in the household it is irrelevant because at the end of the day, they are still NOT the missing parent.
And Why? What Are The Causes Of Single Parenting In Jamaica?
There are different factors that may result in one becoming a single parent here in Jamaica, factors such as the death of a spouse or divorce but the single most common one here is unplanned parenting.
Based on my observation, our Jamaican society does not place great emphasis on “The Family”. We are not a people who stress greatly about the consequences of being raised by only one parent, even though most of us would prefer being raised by, or raise our own children, with both parents present.
And what are some of the effect of single parenting? Read on...
Effects Of Single Parenting In Jamaica
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What Else Does Single Parenting In Jamaica Lead To?
Here is what I've personally observed over the years growing up and living in Jamaica:
- Often times, you find that juvenile delinquents belong to a single parent home. Therefore single parenting can lead to juvenile delinquency.
- Adults who were raised in a single parent family often times find it hard to raise a stable family of their own due to not having a good example to follow.
- Males tend to lack the sense of true responsibility, and in turn, walk out on their own children as their own fathers did.
- Females often have a fear of having children because they do not want to raise their child or children alone
And here’s what Dr. Ralph Thompson had to say about single parenting in Jamaica when he addressed the Gleaner Editor’s forum: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110410/news/news5.html
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