The single parent family statistics from 2005 showed that of the of the father-lead families, 57 percent of them were divorced and 18 percent had never been married. 24 percent had remarried and 1 percent were widowed. 92 percent of these single fathers earned an income for his family, with 74 percent worked full time and 18 percent worked part time, with only 11 percent of these families living below the poverty line.

The single parent family statistics from 2005 also showed that 31.1 percent of all single parent families received some sort of public assistance, with only 6 percent receiving cash assistance. 37.7 percent of custodial mothers were over the age of 40, and 56 percent of them were raising only one child, while 44 percent had two or more children living in their care.

The increase in single parent families goes further than the United States. According to British statistics, the number of two parent families dropped from from 38 percent of the enitire population to only 23 percent between the years of 1961 and 2001. 80 percent of all children lived in two parent families, and 20 percent with one. Of this 20 percent, 18 percent lived with single mothers, and only 2 percent were living in a single father household. In an analysis done from the British Household Panel Survey data, 40 percent of all women will spend some period of time as a single parent. With the number of single parent families on the rise, it is estimated that 35% of the population will consist of single parent families.

In overview, more that one in families is headed by a single parent, with three out of four of these being single mothers. As single parent family statistics continue to rise, we can’t help but wonder what the future holds for terms such as family and sanctity…

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Step Parent Question and Answer

I have a twenty-three year old step son who moved back home a year ago. He has a job, but refuses to help out or even try to find a place of his own, and I know he’s trying to cause problems between his father and I. What can I do?

As a step parent, the first thing you need to do is have a heart-to-heart talk with your husband. Rather than focusing on your fears, focus on the opportunities presented by this situation. Start off by telling your husband that you love him very much and that you know how much his son means to him. Since he cares for him so much, he needs to help him grow into a man who can take care of himself and his family, rather than enabling him.

In order for this to happen, suggest that he establish firm ground rules that encourage a sense of responsibility and help prepare his son for the realities of moving out and living on his own. Since you are the step parent, make your husband responsible for laying down the rules and enforcing them. Present this as something that he will do for the benefit of his son, rather than something he must do to answer your demands or any desire to be free of your step son.

While it is fine if your step son stays with you while he saves money to move out, he must make a contribution to the family by helping around the house. Agree upon some weekly chores. Your husband must make it clear to his son that living in the house is contingent upon proper and timely completion of these chores.

For instance, your husband can make his son responsible for the yard work, taking out the trash and doing the dishes after dinner. In addition to cleaning up after himself and taking care of his personal responsibilities, like doing his own laundry, he must contribute to the household with his time and labor. After all, in any happy household, there is an agreed-upon division of labor between adults.

Your husband may also want to charge him a small amount of rent, so he learns how to budget his money in terms of expenses, spending money and saving. Your step son must start a savings account and make agreed upon weekly or monthly deposits to work toward the goal of moving out.

As a step parent, you can encourage his savings contributions by engaging him and getting him to start thinking about where he wants to live, what kind of place he can afford and how he will furnish it. Make a date and take your step son apartment-hunting, even if he doesn’t have enough money yet, so he can start to see what’s out there and start to imagine life on his own. As a step parent, this is how you start to build a real relationship with your step son that is separate from your husband.

Although being a step parent doesn’t give you much control in this situation, claim your power by acting as a guide. The key here is to focus on the opportunity for a positive outcome and take the steps toward it. Let your husband be the disciplinarian, after all, he’s the birth parent. Help your husband guide his son to become a man who has the self-confidence that comes from knowing that he can take care of himself and make his way in the world.

Laura Ramirez is the author of the multiple award-winning book, Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting - this parenting book -http://www.walk-in-peace.com/keepers.htm

- combines ancient native principles (such as stewardship) with heart-centered psychology to teach parents how to raise children to develop their strengths and unfold their spiritual nature. More than just a book on parenting, it shows how parenting is a path of personal growth for child and parent. Laura is also the publisher of Family Matters Online Parenting Magazine -

http://www.parenting-child-development.com- which offers insights into the core issues today’s parents face. She lives with her husband and children in the Northern Nevada foothills. Laura teaches online parenting classes and is available for speaking engagements.

Planning a children’s birthday party is no easy task. There are some well-meaning parents who choose to set up and organize their kids’ parties themselves, because not only is it cheaper than having to hire a professional birthday party planner, it also allows them to feel more bonded with their child. Do it yourself planning, however, requires a significant amount of time, effort and energy.

Hence, given the extremely busy schedules of today’s parents, it seems very practical to have someone else, an expert on the matter, do the nitty gritty. After all, the working parent surely can’t commit to being on the phone talking to caterers and party supplies shops all day.

Even if he or she will have a big hand in deciding what kind of children’s birthday party will be thrown, there are very minute details (like what to put inside the goodie bags) that will need attention.

You may scan the local yellow pages for a listing of children’s birthday party planners in your area. Or you can also surf the Internet for reviews. If you don’t have the time to visit the party planner’s office, the worlwide web is your best source. Since professional party planner are becoming more in demand right now, you definitely won’t run out of prospects in your search.

Of course, in choosing a good party planner, go with one that has been tried and tested, or whose reputation has been consistently positive. You don’t need to go for the big-ticket party planner to ensure a fun and smooth-sailing event, but you do need a planner who is in tune with your child’s interest and needs.

If the planner does not seem to like children, then it’s not likely that he or she will be able to come up with a fun and memorable children’s birthday party.

Referrals from friends and relatives are also valuable. At least you are assured that somebody you know has good things to say about your prospect. In addition, referrals also decrease the awkward stage of having to check on your planner’s business background. You’ll be able to break the ice faster and express your needs better because you already have, in theory, something in common.

Thus, if you’re willing to pay a premium for convenience, then hire a professional party planner for your child’s birthday. You might not have the time to deal with the little details yourself, but the beaming look on your child’s face after will be well worth the extra expense.

Times have certainly changed in most facets of life and in the world of parenting, it is no different. The internet has opened up a whole range of possibilities and one of the big advantages for parents is the ability to take a free parenting class online to brush up on skills or to learn new techniques.

Once upon a time, parenting skills were learnt from within a person’s own family environment; handed down from generation to generation so to speak however, in today’s society, logging onto your computer and interacting with other like-minded parents is now a breeze. But can a free parenting class online teach you the skills required to raise children?

Defining Parenting Class Online

Let’s look at this in it’s proper perspective. Parenting skills are developed over time. In fact, for new moms and dads, your best learning experience will come from your own child. However, there will be times when you’ll strike problems; for example, the terrible two’s or during a child’s teenage years. Where do you go for help? In the “old days” it usually meant confiding in your parents or grandparents or having to attend counselling sessions. Today, parenting online in the right environment is just a click away.

The term online may concern a few people given some of the horror stories we’ve heard from people with online experiences in other areas but online should only be seen as a vehicle for delivering information. In this light, a free online parenting class makes good and common sense.

Teenagers

One of the biggest advantages in receiving a free online class is in the area of raising teenagers. A lot of advice has been handed out over the years concerning the proper way to raise a teenager but in all honesty, what works for one set of circumstances may not work for another. An online parenting class with a qualified family therapist will save you, in some cases, the embarassment of presenting yourself in person, which for people living in small, tight knit communities can be a big hurdle to overcome.

Discussing your situation online and receiving advice on communicating with your teen in a relatively private environment is a big plus for many parents.

Divorce

Divorce situations are another area where online parenting advice has made an impact. Again, dealing with a qualified therapist in the relative privacy of your own home is a huge advantage. Also, in today’s divorce environments courts will often require parents to take a parenting class and in such emotional times, presenting oneself physically to a class could be a difficult thing to achieve.

An online parenting class removes the problem of presenting yourself in person other than to log onto a computer and take the class online. These classes involve covering topics such as co-parenting, step-parenting and parenting skills.

A free parenting class online should be used whenever you need help or a solution to a problem. Be careful when searching online for the right class. Some courses may offer a free trial before luring you into an expensive and unnecessary course.

Teen pregnancy has always existed. In centuries past, teen pregnancy was universally accepted; people married young and died young; the teen years were the prime of one’s life and the time in which childbirth took place.

As times changed and our life expectancies grew, people begin postponing marriage and family. Now it is hardly uncommon for women to wait until well into their thirties to have their first child. As social norms shifted, as did society’s perception of teen pregnancy. Before long, teen pregnancy was looked at with scorn. And teen parenting was uncommon and laced with judgment.

But for those teens who decide to face an unwanted pregnancy with a commitment to teen parenting, the struggles encompass more than just society’s disapproval. Teen parenting can change the scope of an entire family unit. And while the changes can be positive, as well as negative, they are great changes nonetheless.

First and foremost, teen parenting can alter a teenager’s future significantly. No longer is high school graduation and college plans of the utmost priority for a teenaged mother – or even father. A new plan begins to emerge and often it bears no resemblance to what either parent had in mind. This can actually be a period of mourning for those who have put plans on hold or relinquished them altogether.

Often, when there is a teen parenting situation, the teen parent’s mother and father must step in to help raise the new baby. Suddenly people who have raised their children and have begun to look towards retirement are thrust back into the challenges of caring for an infant. And because most who tackle teen parenting are unable to financially make it on their own while still attending school, they continue to live at home with the new baby. It can be enormously stressful for everyone involved.

For those who are teen parenting, there is a wide variety of resources available to help ease the transition and make the journey just a little bit easier. Look for local support groups that can give you pointers on balancing the demands of your new life. Turn to family and friends for support and guidance.

And while teen parenting can be demanding, it certainly doesn’t have to ruin your life. Many who have been unexpectedly thrust into teen parenting will find that there are rewards as well as challenges.

Parenting is a gift that God bestows on us. It is a great responsibility. However, in today’s society the job is getting tougher and tougher. The world at large is becoming more violent and restless and it is difficult to bring up a child in such an environment. The children of today are exposed to so much and are easily influenced. For example:

Drugs:

In this day and age, drug use is one of the most common problems parents have to fight against. It is not only a problem that’s affecting twenty yr olds; it’s a problem that begins as young as eleven and twelve. Many youngsters of today are hooked on to drugs. The percentage of kids using drugs is overwhelming. Visit a rehabilitation home and you will know what I mean.

Drinking:

If you have teenagers at home, you know what I am talking about. Alcohol fascinates all our youngsters. It is not one or two drinks that they have; they consume bottles and bottles of alcohol. To most youngsters nowadays alcohol is the symbol of fun. They need either alcohol or drugs to ensure that they have a good time.

Our kids have lost the ability to fight feelings of depression or tension, they hit the bottle.

Sex:

With all the programs on television and the porn sites on the internet, sex is a growing issue among our teen kids. They are all eager and excited to learn more about sex. No longer do they believe in preserving their virginity till marriage. Sex is now for the married as well as the unmarried. There is no age limit, you can be as young as 12 and still have sex. If you are one who watches the news or reads the newspapers regularly, you will find that AIDS is on a fast increase. More and more youngsters are being plagued by this disease.

To bring up children in a world that says drugs, drinking and sex at any age is okay is nothing but a challenge. A challenge that drains you of every ounce of energy!

Nigel Lane

What’s a more frightening nightmare for parents than their children’s illness? It is the fear of losing custody of their children.

In America, parents risk losing custody of their children forever when they disagree with doctors’ recommended treatments or even when they want a second opinion.

That’s what happened to the Werneckes in Texas in 2005, Corissa Mueller in 2002, Pam Anderson in 2000, Tina Phifer in 1997, and a slew of other parents and children who have been victimized throughout American history. My mother Juliet Cheng was one parent whose child was forcefully and wrongly taken away by Child Protective Services over treatment disputes–not only once, but twice. The first time happened when I was twenty-two months old because my mother requested the doctor to stop giving me aspirin, which was worsening my condition and causing severe side effects. The second custody case occurred when I was seven years old after she had wisely chosen not to follow a doctor’s plan to operate on six of my joints at once during the time when I had no medication to control my inflammation.

Fortunately, she won me back both times so I did not receive the unnecessary, harmful treatments that would send me to my grave.

The last custody case in 1990 made international headlines. My mother appeared on CBS This Morning with Paula Zahn, and the news was reported on CNN, in New York Times, Newsweek, Washington Post, among many other major media outlets. She gained worldwide support, including from celebrities like Connie Chung and Katharine Hepburn.

When I was seven, I did not have a voice. Now, fifteen years later, I am here to speak for every parent and child because everyone is a potential victim to this injustice when the child falls ill–including your own child or grandchild. I am here to help today’s loving parents protect and keep custody of their children.

It is a crime when doctors force unwanted or harmful treatments on children, and it is a violation against humanity when the state tears loving parents and children apart.

The American government needs to deal with each case according to its unique needs, instead of acting upon the same plan for every case. Just because a loving parent who only wants the best for their child disagreed with a medically recommended treatment does not mean their child should be torn away from them. In this democratic land of independence, the medical laws are extremely out of place.

America will be better if it gives freedom to devoted, competent parents. The average parent wants the best for their child. We, the patients in our own bodies and caregivers who have cared for the patients for years, know what is best for us, better than any doctor or nurse.

So, what is the question here regarding the parental rights issue? Is it who loves the children the most or is it who knows what’s the best for the children? I believe that question could only be answered by God. God created us, so He must know what’s the best for each and every one of us, but He gives us free will and the rights to care for ourselves on our own.

But instead, our own people took away our rights, snatching children away from parents–their primary source of love and care–in order to do what’s “best” for the children.

Can’t we decide what’s best for ourselves?

Where is our freedom to say no?

Shirley Cheng (b. 1983), A.K.A. the modern day Helen Keller, is a blind and physically disabled author and poet of three books by age twenty. She advocates parental rights in children’s medical care and students with special needs. “When doctors ask yes or no, parents should have the right to say no,” says Shirley

Let’s face it—choosing the right topics for a parent workshop can successfully motivate parents to attend your events. If you are a counselor, educator, father or mother interested in facilitating a parent workshop that provides the tools for raising responsible, happy and compassionate children, then this article will help steer you in the right direction. Having been in the parenting education field for over a decade, I’m happy to share with you what has worked best for the participants in my parenting workshops. I also share some tips from moms across North America who have used my book When You’re About To Go Off The Deep End, Don’t Take Your Kids With You as a guide for their own study groups and workshops.

Today’s Hot Parent Workshop Topics

Here are the top 10 topics for workshops that parents want and need:

1. Self-care and balancing work and home

2. Developing self-esteem and confidence in children

3. Choosing an approach to discipline that works

4. Homework and music lesson challenges

5. Chores and developing responsibility

6. How to have a good marriage (or in some cases, a good divorce)

7. Bullying and how to foster compassion in children

8. Sibling rivalry and favoritism

9. Allowances and money

10. Temper tantrums, communication and conflict

If you are looking for dynamic, useful, fun topics for a series of parenting
workshops or parent study groups, I suggest checking out the following books:

- STEP (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting) by Dr. Dinkmeyer and
Dr. McKay

- Positive Discipline by Dr. Jane Nelsen

- My When You’re About To Go Off The Deep End, Don’t Take Your Kids With You
(a favorite with moms).

Ideas for a Parent Workshop Series

Below is an example of a fifteen-week course based on my book and successfully
used by many mothers’ study groups. Each week of the course focuses on one
chapter of When You’re About to Go Off the Deep End, Don’t Take Your Kids with
You and covers the main topics listed below. Each chapter of the book ends with
a summary and suggested homework activities to make your role as facilitator
even easier.

Week 1: Could Your Approach To Motherhood Be Giving Your Grief?

How to choose the best discipline approach for you, why you’ll want to
discipline without spanking, and how to receive the respect you deserve.

Week 2: How A Mom, Like You, Can Find Guilt-Free TLC

Why you don’t want to be a mom who does it all, how to bust stress with simple
techniques easily, and how to manage your time so there’s time left over for
you.

Week 3: “Get A Life!” – For The Sake Of Your Kids

How to reignite your own dreams, practical ways to have greater joy in your
life, and getting back into the driver’s seat of creating your best life.

Week 4: How To Utilize Your Community to Raise Your Child Well

How to attract great friends, get the support you need, and the essential “life
trips” you’ll want to take your kids on.

Week 5: Give Everyone In Your Home What They Want, Including You

How to establish trust in your home, how to run a family meeting no one will
want to miss, and simple family rituals that can connect the whole family.

Week 6: What Every Mom Ought To Know About Solving Sibling Rivalry

How kids from the same family can be so different, favoritism and what to do
about it, and the best way to stop sibling fights from driving you crazy.

Week 7: How To Get Your Kids To Do Their Chores Smiling

How to get the chores done without nagging, what are age-appropriate chores, and
a discussion about paying children for doing their chores.

Week 8: How To Boost Your Child’s Self-Esteem 10-Fold!

How you can make or break your child’s self-esteem, what are encouraging phrases
that you can immediately use to boost confidence, and the top 10 ways to
encourage your child.

Week 9: How To Keep Your Sanity In Times of conflict

What to do when you or your kids mess up, how to choose your fights wisely so
the entire family doesn’t lose, and how to learn a special time-out that works
every time for children of any age.

Week 10: How To Give Your Child Choices That Won’t Haunt You Later

How to use choices that inspire your children to want to be well behaved, how to
set effective boundaries, and how to say “Yes” to your children while still
getting what you want.

Week 11: Consequences That Save A Mom Time and Frustration

The two types of consequences that work to get the best from your children, how
to remind without nagging, and how to use teachable moments to provide your
child with wholesome values.

Week 12: How To Master The Tough Stuff From Tantrums To Sex

What to do when your child lies, how to get easily your kids up in the morning,
and how to motivate your kids to do their homework—and much more!

Week 13: Daring To Deal With Dads

How to forgive for the sake of your kids, how to support and motivate a dad who
is involved with his kids, and how to deal with a dad who just isn’t there.

Week 14: Your Kid’s Allowance – It’s Just “Common Cents”

How to give allowances that teach life skills, how to stop being your child’s
personal ATM machine, and how to delegate new money tasks to your kids that
naturally teach budgeting and appreciation for what they have.

Week 15: Is Your G-Spot A Big Part Of Your Life

How to bring spirit into your family, how to shrink your problems to a
manageable size, and how to rekindle your faith during the tough times.

Please note that you can easily make this 15-week course into a shorter workshop
series by combining chapters or by choosing to focus on topics that particularly
stand out for you and the group.

Whatever topics for a parent workshop you choose; make certain the event is
enjoyable (neither a therapy session nor a lecture). Get input from your group,
have fun and, together, enjoy learning the tools that can unleash the best
within your parent participants—so they can unleash the best within their kids.

Kelly Nault, MA author of When You’re About To Go Off The Deep End, Don’t Take Your Kids With You inspires moms to put themselves first—for the sake of their children. She shares time-tested tools that motivate children to want to be well behaved, responsible and happy! Sign up for her

free online parenting

course here.