Often, when we think of a happy family, we think of the average nuclear family consisting of a husband, wife, and possibly two kids. More times than less, we will often judge the parents based on the behaviour we observe in their children. However, if those kids don't meet the expectations of society we tend to blame the parent for not disciplining their kids the 'right way'. Is how we perceive this situation accurate though? .
Within the last century, the types of families we'd primarily see have changed significantly. With factors such as higher divorce rates, single women choosing to keep their child based on un-expectancy, non-marital births, abandonment, or even financial difficulties, a child may not be fortunate to grow up with both of his or her parents. Whether it has been mom or dad missing from the family, an absent parent will impact the child in many different ways. According to Statistics Canada, "About 8 in 10 lone-parent families were female lone-parent families in 2011, accounting for 12.8% of all census families, while male lone-parent families represented 3.5% of all census families". (2011)The problem is that both fathers and mothers end up leaving their children's lives at young ages and in the long run, puts them in an awkward situation when they figure out not all families' are the way theirs are. In 2011, 20% of children under 14 in Canada lived with only one parent. (Statistics Canada,2011) Studies have shown that the children whom grow up in these situations are affected in many ways, both positive and negative. .
This essay will examine the effects of non-residential and absent parents and the upbringing of their children. The first factor being analyzed is the child's ability to retain and learn in an academic setting. Education in a learning environment is a foundation each and every child is given to ensure their future success and with a parental figure missing, may prove to show future difficulties.