On Ignoring Single Parenthood
America is perplexed about its worker shortage. Many felt absolutely sure that we had treated workers too well during the pandemic and spoiled their work “ethic”. Employers started offering higher wages, bonuses and perks, with only limited success. Could it be that the whip masters of the American workplace, and the those always ready to demean workers, had misdiagnosed the problem?

A few facts, might have given them a porthole into what’s happened to the American workforce. It’s a pretty logical progression of change that is driving a good bit of the worker shortages. First, women are 50% of the American workforce. Second, some 30% of Americas families are headed by a single parent and 75% of those single parents are women. In the last sixty years the number of children living with a single mother parent has tripled. Third, some 34% of single mothers live below the poverty line. Fourth, most of the low-wage service type jobs that are going unfilled were held by women. Fifth, in case you have bought into the black welfare mom narrative, the majority of single-parent mothers are white. See a different problem emerging here?

The fact is that the America is morphing into a single-parent, mostly female headed household that is poor and relegated to the dregs of the job market. One of the critiques of the current women’s movement is its aloofness from the problems of these working class women. Our stereotyping, repressive political impulses and the hidden nature of single parenting has now led to a realization that they matter to our economy and they are the most vulnerable in a crisis like the pandemic.

Like most big problems, there are no simple answers. The most immediate need is for adequate food and shelter. Next is affordable and quality child care. The school closings and fear of the virus hammered single parents and closed a good bit of the nation’s child care infrastructure. Rebuilding a robust child care network provides safe spaces for children and a much better start in life while allowing their parent to grab economic and educational opportunities. Putting a floor under impoverished people would also ease the reason that many are single parents to begin with. Minimum wage increases and economic opportunities for single parents and the co-creators, who have abandoned their children, gets at the root cause of what is happening to families. For many single parents, the effort to provide economically and parent well, is impossible. As they fail, the fallout lands on us all. The Republican Party, that used to tout itself as the Party of “family values”, has little to offer when confronted with these realities.

A renewed focus on infrastructure that support single parents is long overdue. It’s time to recognize that addressing the issues of the single-parent household helps alleviate a bunch of other dysfunctions in our society. Employers need to realize that they’ve been getting a free ride by employing two-parent workers. It’s time for employers to step up with support for their single-parent employees. Family-sustaining wages and family benefit coverage is a start. But much more is needed.

Here’s to single parents, both fathers and mothers. I was one for many years myself. It was tough, even with a great job and lots of family and friends support. This is an example of where the political narrative on jobs leads to shortfalls we have ignored for way too long. The family has changed, it’s impacting children and the workforce of the nation. Let’s herald all those single parents who are struggling out there and give them, their wayward partners and their children a pathway to opportunity and allow them to make a full contribution to us all.
ihg - 11-9-2021
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