Article April 12, 1982 Issue

The single parent

ROXANNE H. BAKER

Surveying the trend toward single-parent homes in the United States, an article in The New York Times brought out some startling statistics. By 1979, it pointed out, almost one out of every five families with children was maintained by one parent. The number of single-parent families had risen 79 percent in the past decade.^{The New York Times, August 17, 1980 .}

As divorce or demise of a spouse compels a growing number of single parents to undertake the challenges of raising children alone, many wonder if it is possible to be an effective parent and create a healthy household even though one is single.

Among the first challenges many single parents face is the sense of lack—lack of self-worth, lack of confidence, lack of wisdom, lack of financial resources. The Bible story of the widow whose sons were about to be taken as slaves by a creditor addresses these challenges. The widow came to Elisha, imploring his help. He asked what she had in her own house and directed her to use the oil she already possessed as the basis for meeting her needs. When she had followed his instructions, poured out the oil into many vessels, and returned with news of her abundance, Elisha told the widow, "Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest."^{II Kings 4:7.}

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