SINGLE PARENT MISSION

 

Some might say; what does she know, she is still so young. And yes I am still so young, but never underestimate a young person. Because we are living through these circumstances and having to deal directly with the consequences of them.

I know no other life than my parents being divorced, since I can remember they where divorced, as has so many other kids.

South Africa has the world's highest rate of single parent households (over 60%). Single parents are the norm, not the exception. Typically, a SA child has a living, but absent, father, and is raised by a mother in a single parent home. Absent fathers are on the increase.

Now while this is not me talking about just my circumstances however, I want to raise awareness to the broader spectrum of the struggles all single parents face with out dated laws and regulations, how the court systems fail those parents and eventually affecting us, the kids, South Africa YOUTH…THE FUTURE.

 

Let me give you some insight and figures;

·         In South Africa, a significant portion of children live in single-parent households, with data indicating that around 40% of mothers are single parents, and 60% of children have absent fathers.

·         42.0% of children live only with their mothers

·         4.0% of children live only with their fathers

In a nutshell, one can say that 50% of South African Children are being raised by a single parent. That is scarily shocking.

Those parents do what they can, some work numerous jobs to put food on the table, some kids are unable to attend school due to the circumstances. There are many struggles single parents faces trying to raise their children.

I know my mom plan was never to be a single parent however this is where life has taken us, she became a single parent for us, for our safety and all of us wellbeing. And she has given her all to us ever since.

I think now that I am older and understand things more, I see the difference in kids and their families who are raised by single parents and those not. Shockingly there is a big difference. I generally just always assumed it was how our lives are, until I realised no……..it’s not. This is the world of single parents and their kids.

I have been fortunate with the relationship I have with my mother, where we discuss matters very openly and this had me looking into some details of the life of a single parent. And WOW, so much has changed in the world, economically, labour laws, tax laws and yet it is as if no one takes note of our single parents. Their struggles they face, the consequences they have if they take off from work to take care of a sick child, all the living expenses of which non can be tax deductible, the failure of maintenance courts.

So I have set out on a mission, and yes I am young now and maybe myself and my family will never gain any benefits from this mission, but I wow to make a change for all single parents. Because I know personally how this affects children, me, my sister and parents and just how by implementing some of these changes within our legal systems in South Africa will make the biggest difference South Africa has ever seen…YES. Even bigger than when apartheid ended.

Because remember…THE SINGLE PARENT MISSION BY A CHILD, is solely a mission to improve and assist single parents, because they are raising our next leaders, the next generation. We don’t want those kids standing at the robots begging…we want them in schools, we want them in universities, we want them to be the best that they are.

 

Every child deserves the opportunities to be the best they are and this is not happening because of single parent household circumstances that is caging children and limiting there potential.

If we can make these changes to help our single parent, that will mean they may have more time for us as kids, teaching us life lessons, respect, morals, values. They may have more time to take care of their own health so that they can ensure they can take care of our health. Single parents, particularly mothers, may experience higher rates of depression and other mental health issues, potentially due to factors like financial strain and increased stress.

 

I am asking as a child, I ask the adult who has overlooked us for decades, our single parents for decades, their struggles to please look now. SEE US, HELP US HELP THEM.

 

I want my mom around for many more years,  I am not blind to my mom struggles, I am sad that she has to go through these struggles without any help. Yes she does it…every day….because she loves us and will do anything for us.

 

Now I want to do this for her. I want to start the ‘SINGLE PARENT MISSION”

My goals are to make changes big and small.

1.       50% school fees

2.       Health care; free dental and eye care till the age of 18 this includes any procedures or equipment

3.       School transportation systems within a certain radius of the school (bus stops, with efficient bus timing of every 30min x 3 in the morning and x3 in afternoons)

4.       Tax deductions for single parent where the other parent does not financially contribute to the children needs (maintenance)

5.       Free extra murals and more variety to ensure children who has great sporting or culture potential from a young age is nurtured and they can build it up

6.       Parent Leave to be amended when a single parent needs to take of work for a sick child, without any punishment towards the parent in the work environment.

7.       Flexible work time schedules for single parents.

These are all changes that we as a generation should not overlook, we as kids now are living with the consequences due to the above issues not being enforce or even available to help our parents.

I know that if we can make a change today, tomorrow, next week no matter how long I need to fight for these changes..I know it will improve the lives of all single parent families.

Lets do this together.