Can I just say something in defense of single parents?
I think you will have gathered I'm rather anti the Scroungers we all know are around us. I have to say, though, that both my daughters have been single parents at some time in their lives. My youngest daughter still is and lives, together with her 5 year old daughter, with me. Neither, obviously, wanted to be in that position.
My elder daughter was left with a baby son. She didn't work until he was 5 years old. During those years she did an OU degree and, once he was in school she got a full-time job, continued studying and is now a qualified Accountant. The early years were hard but she coped, with some help from her father and me. Subsequently she saw that her son had a good education and made financial sacrifices so that he could go to Manchester Grammar School. He is now a 19 year old college student and she is happy with a decent, hard working partner.
My younger daughter was "dumped" before her little girl was born. She refused to be labelled a Single Mother on Benefits and went back to work, part-time, when the baby was 4 months old. She is bringing up a delightful, intelligent little girl who has a bright future ahead of her - and a very good relationship with her father, which my daughter worked towards regardless of her own feelings.
I get a little tired of the labelling of children from single-parent families as the "no-hopers" of tomorrow. There are many single parents who are responsible and caring and I totally agree with Accystanmac that there's too much adverse comment about lone parents. And yes, my granddaughter looks great in her George from Asda clothes too.
