My best friend, "Lauren", became pregnant a year into her relationship. When Lauren and her boyfriend, "David", discovered this they were extremely thrilled. They viewed this news as just another step in a long term relationship, not letting the fact that they were only eighteen phase them. David was supportive and maintained the abundant happiness throughout Lauren's pregnancy, frequently talking about how collectively they were going to give this baby the best life they can. When the baby arrived, their relationship reached a new peak of happiness. Over the next few weeks, David's attitude progressively became worse. He became stressed and over come with the pressures of being a parent, then taking it out on Lauren. David ended up leaving both Lauren and the new born baby. Lauren tried making things better between them throughout the next year, but nothing seemed to ignite the flame which was once there.
Lauren, now a single mother, works her hardest to provide for their year and a half old baby. Dealing with the physical and emotional well being of the baby by herself, and the financial issues that arise. According to Statistics Canada (2008), single mother families were three times more likely to live in low income conditions, as compared to two-parent families. Lauren receives government assistance, for example Child Tax Benefit and Universal Child Tax, to help with her daily financial burden. In my opinion, after reading about the neo-conservative ideologies, these programs must have been created prior to today's neo-conservative based government. According to Mullaly (2007), neo-conservatives view the role of the nation state as follows: "Everyone should provide for his or her own needs through work, savings, and the acquisition of property. Only those persons who do not carry out these obligations encounter problems". I believe not everyone asks to be put in the position of being a single mother or having low income, and some work extremely hard to get out of this spot. Neo-conservatives obviously think that this is an easy fix and just hard work will do it. This is not always the case, obstacles do arise and it isn't simple getting out.
Mullaly (2007), points out that neo-conservatives believe in "the deserving poor". I see their view to be ignorant and quite ridiculous. If the tables were turned for a day, maybe these thoughts would change. I believe that Lauren would not fall into this category after reading "these problems are their own making, they do not deserve help from the government.." (Mullaly, 2007).
Lauren, like many other single mothers, works hard to provide a fulfilling life for her baby. Trying to fight all the statistics out there that group single mothers with low income circumstances. I hope that one day neo-conservatives find a way to realize that not all situations in life are ideal, recognize the difficulties these women face, and help rather than judging.
-Jenn S
References
Mullaly, B (2007). The New Structural Social Work. Canada: Oxford University PressStatistics Canada (2008). Female Lone- Parent Families. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/survey-enquete/household-menages/3889i-eng.htmstatisticscanada
Image: Single Mom (2011). retrieved from: http://www.singlemotherhelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/SingleMom.jpg
Interesting article! I also have a friend who, through no fault of her own, has become a single mother. Now she is faced not only with the task of raising a child on her own but with navigating complicated social welfare systems that are often parternalistic and condesending (perhaps in part to our increasingly neoconcervative governments influence on social policy).
ReplyDelete-Julianna
I have worked with single mothers that are in the lower socioeconomic grouping and every time you turn around there is an agency involved. Yet when it comes to families that are middle class and there should be an agency involved they don't. I think that there is built in discrimination based upon socioeconomics and the belief that those that have something are better able to take care of things.
ReplyDeleteLisa