In the old times, it was a known fact that women stayed home and cared for the kids while the husband earned. However, a change has happened in recent times as women have taken it upon themselves to secure their kids because of separation or because they wish to raise the child on their own. Being a single mother can be demanding especially in the present times as earning for children and paying for the bills can be tiresome. Women have been reported to be undergoing emotional distress as they are unable to support their families (Barnett & Marshall, 1992). Families that are supported by single mothers tend to suffer more as mothers cannot work the same amount as men. Studies have shown that families suffer economically and emotionally in houses where the mothers are in charge of the household (Orloff, n.d.).
Around the twentieth century, the U.S. government presented the tax system and social programs centered on the ideal family. Programs such as social security were created for the benefit of women who depended on their husbands for support. The government has presented aid relief programs to mothers who are living on their own and have to raise their children at home. Highly educated women qualified in their field of work benefit from the current U.S. approach regarding gender equality. However, those women who have not had a proper education are working low-paying jobs, making it difficult for them to support their families. Such women face a tough time as they have to pay for everything on their own without the support of anyone. As compared to men, women have a difficult time adjusting to the new role of a single parent as they are pushed to the extreme limits when it comes to earning for the family and looking after the children.
The government needs to combine its policies so that low-earner women can benefit from the aid and funding. Policies that pay for child support from an early age should be implemented so that single mothers do not spend all their hard-earned money on tuition fees (Glynn, Farrell, & Wu, 2013). Support should be offered to working women so that they can afford to pay the bills and have food on the table. The U.S. government has developed different relief funds that assist working mothers in taking care of childcare expenses. These funding programs include the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. A government program called WIC, which refers to the Women, Infants, and Children program, is incredibly generous as it has been helping less privileged mothers. By implementing such programs, the U.S. has taken a step forward in helping working mothers. However, the country still has a long way to go in improving the aid system for single mothers. The program assists by running a nutritional program for expecting mothers and their newborns.
The government is responsible for every citizen, therefore, to assist workers and mothers, more policies should be made to help women cover different expenses such as bills and childcare expenses. American women who haven’t had the proper education cannot earn enough to support their families and cannot raise children on their own. They look towards the government for financial aid. New policies need to be made to help low-income mothers and those who aren’t working.
References
Barnett, R. C., & Marshall, N. L. (1992). Worker and mother roles, spillover effects, and psychological distress. Women & Health, 18(2), 9–40.
Glynn, S. J., Farrell, J., & Wu, N. (2013). The Importance of Preschool and Child Care for Working Mothers. Center for American Progress.
Orloff, A. (n.d.). What Can Government Do to Support Employed Mothers? | Scholars Strategy Network. Retrieved February 6, 2018, from http://www.scholarsstrategynetwork.org/brief/what-can-government-do-support-employed-mothers
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