So, I've been taking a psychology class and recently were learning about child development and such. Well, this all brought me back to my child development class. In my child development class we would write a mini-short story using the vocab words we learned that week, I once wrote about a single-parent father.
I read my story to the class and to my suprise and girl darted her hand up and blantly stated "Men can't be single-parents."
Now, let me tell you, that deeply, deeply cut me. My father was a single-father who raised me since I was ten along with my younger brother, he worked in the Air Force and had to retire early and join the reserves to ensure that he would be around otherwise they would have shipped him off again. Men can't be single-parents? Had my mother raised me I'd probably be on crack and pregnant at this very moment.
The thing that bothered me the most about the girl's comment is that people really do think that men can't raise children. I know that it shows up every now and then but people consider it taboo almost. This irritates me because I know it's not true, sure not every guy can raise a child but most fathers, if given the chance, could.
*shrugs* I try not to let that get to me but it does, who has the right to say that men can't raise their children by themselves? I'm not saying that all women should give up their parenting rights if they get divorced but people should look at men weird because they're raising their child and not their ex-wife.
I agree with you that some men can raise children. The girl who told you that men can't raise children is ignorant because she should have said that some men can't raise children.
Personally I believe it was just ignorant for her to say something like that in general. The reason being just as some men can't raise children, some women can't raise children either.
Look I am sorry you have misinterpreted me, but I was just saying that to correct the statement that all men can't raise children. I agree that some women can't raise children either and no I am not ignorant; you just misinterpreted.
I wasn't saying you were ignorant, I was stating that the girl was ignorant.
Thank you for the clarification.
I know there are men capable of raising children. I am from a single parent family- parten being the father. Raising a child is based on the person, not gender. That's just silly.
This is a very eye opening blog that some people are pretty ignorant.
It's nice to know that there is someone else that I can share this experience with. Having a single-parent father I mean.
What's sad is that gender is such a big deal in society especially with men raising children. I used to get into fights over that during my elementry years and Middle School years due to people suggesting or outright calling my father gay. Although I would have no problem with that but it was untruthful since he dated several women before remarrying.
Thank you for your response :]
Was she aware that you were raised up by your single-parent father?
No, not until I voiced it to the class, stating that I was raised by a single-parent father.
Then she laughed and got sent to the principle's office. :/
Society still has some stigmas about single dads and moms that need to be cleared up. I'm glad she was sent to the principles office because it sends a message to her parents that they are teaching her the wrong thing.
I wish I could send her parents or whoever is teaching her that it is okay to laugh at kids in disadvantaged situations to the principles office.
Sadly though she was simply sent to the office for "disrupting the class".
At the point in time when I read that story my father was remarried to my new mother (<3) but still the stigma was still there along with the fact that I was a kid with a step-parent.
Just a question but exactly how was I in a disadvantaged situation? I hope I don't sound rude asking plus I'm not sure on how exactly to word it without sounding rude ;__;
I don't like terms like "disadvantaged" or "at-risk." At risk of what? And were you lacking any love in your family, just because you were raised by your father? I don't think so. Labels are dangerous, and only applied to those who are not the majority.
*Steps off soapbox*
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Ho-snap. Before I reply can I just say that I *love* reading your blogs? [/end worship]
Anyways, I agree, I was never disadvantaged or at-risk. We never lacked love in my single-parent home. Actually, with my mother gone we all seemed to grow closer together and increased the love.
*blushes*
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
My grandmother raised me and the men in my life have abandoned me but that absolutly does not mean that men cannot raise kids. That comment was just full of stupidity! It brings me back to a movie with Sean Penn. In the movie Sean Penn played a mentally retarded single father. The mother did not want the child and left him and his daughter standing outside of the hospital. I guarentee that if a mentally retarded man could raise his kid that all men can. Definatly does not mean that all men do!
"I am Sam" wasn't it? I saw that movie when it was on TV so I haven't seen the whole thing, but it seems like a very good, if not sad, story. Was it based on true events?
Like what you've read? Well, then here's more:
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tricia0711