Support and Stigma of Single Mothers | Monica Bassili
Single mothers in Canada are fortunate compared to those in non-Western countries. Provincial financial support and municipal community groups are among the services provided to single mothers. Despite the supposed support provided by various levels of government, there continues to be a negative stigma against single others.
Women who are widowed, divorced, separated, or chose to become single mothers in another way are met with societal solid messages that say that their decisions to stay single are wrong. But, wrong how?
Many misconceptions, prejudices, and assumptions are tied to single mothers. Some stem from sexism and misogyny, and others derive from anecdotes from children who grew up with single mothers. Some claim that women alone are incapable of providing a stable and secure home for their children, leading to the assumption that women who choose to be single mothers are causing interpersonal challenges for their kids.
The Science and the Reality
Many studies have been conducted to account for children’s experiences growing up with single mothers. However, it is essential to note that such studies are often small-scale and fail to account for economic, political, and social factors that inhibit mothers from fully engaging with their children.
The Institute for Family Studies researched the effects of family structures on young children. Of the impacts they analyzed, there was a trend in which children growing up in single-parent households had the possibility of experiencing “lower school achievement, discipline problems, school suspension, less high school graduation, lower college attendance and graduation, and crime and incarceration.”
The study focused on families in the “West” however, what does the West mean in the Canadian context? From the most recent data in 2020, Statistics Canada suggests that Canada consists of over 21 percent of immigrants. However, by including intergenerational migrants, racialized peoples, and refugees, Canadian diversity fails to reflect the Western hegemony that is commonly found in European countries such as Britain, France, and Belgium.
As a result, the excuse that single mothers cannot possibly support their children throughout their upbringing reflects a dated understanding of family structures and the iconic Nuclear Family. The Nuclear Family is typically associated with the concept of the “American Dream” in which people strive to have the “perfect” family which consists of a husband, his wife, and his kids. In this scenario, the contributions of friends, extended family, and other kin are intentionally alienated to portray the man of the house as the most important factor that holds the family together.
Moving Beyond the Importance of Men
Socially, there is a genuine connection between how people perceive single mothers and their lack of a “supportive” man in their life to secure their families. Moving beyond such misconceptions about single mothers is key to fostering accepting and supportive communities for everyone.
In Edmonton, the Kaleo Collective is a beautiful network of women and Edmontonians who are dedicated to providing safe, inclusive, and supportive environments for single mothers. Both mother and family resources are provided to have the most impact on the support provided to single mothers. Organizations such as these deserve attention, funding, and awareness for Edmonton’s single mothers to have accessible and available resources to support their households.
To contact the Kaleo Collective and inquire about their programs, services, and resources, please see their website here.
