Science: priceless, but costly

Working as a researcher is very satisfying. However, it comes with a price. This is a story about growing up as a scientist in the field of molecular biology. Starting as a young, rather naive researcher, I learned, step by step, not only the facts about my favorite RNA molecules but also the demands and downsides of academia. Going through my recent “scientific awakening,” I fully acknowledged the rules of the game: to write, to publish, to patent, to apply for grants and awards, and finally, to engage in all forms of coscientific endeavors. After going through a divorce, single parenting, immigration, and being scooped, I became a scientist who finally takes her career in her own hands and navigates through, but does not succumb to, the difficulties in science. This is my monument to resilience.

Single Parenting and the Emotions of Adolescents in Secondary Schools Examining the Case of Eldoret Municipality, Kenya

The article sets out to demonstrate the influence of single parenting on the emotions of adolescents in secondary schools in Eldoret Municipality. It sets on the premise that the family is the basic functional social unit in determining the healthy growth and development of children. That emotional wellbeing of the child is significantly tied to the parenting styles and skills. In its methodology, it employs the descriptive study design. Computer programmes, both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analyses. The descriptive statistics used in analysis includes means, frequencies and percentages, whereas inferential statistics were t-test for independent samples and Chi-square tests; with results of the analysis showed that there was non-significant difference. Students from single parent families and those from two parent families do not differ in their emotional level t(279) =-.49,P =.626. It is theoretically informed by Erik Erikson’s (1982) theory of psychosocial development. The central argument of Erikson’s theories emphasizes on the importance of early childhood experiences on later growth and development of the child. Erikson (1968) hypothesized that the personality of an individual forms as the ego progresses through a series of interrelated stages. Each of these ego stages has critical period of development. Personality develops in a series of turning points, which he described in terms of dichotomous of desirable qualities and dangers. The study findings provided a basis for equipping teachers, couples, single parents, policy makers and organization dealing with children on psychological well-being and adolescents from single families and those from intact families.

The Church and Single Parenting in Africa

Single parenting involves a sole parent who cares for children without the help of the other parent. The challenge of single parenting has negative effects on parents and the children alike. The death of a spouse, divorce, wars desertion, rape, sexual harassment and violent crisis are factors for this debacle. In such situation, the remaining parent not only inherits the responsibilities of the missing parent, but also takes custody of their children, in addition to his/her own roles as father or mother. Marriage ought to be imbibed as a standard for a godly society. Single parenting is not a thing to joke with or take with levity because of its scorching heat on both parents and children. Without mincing words, this phenomenon is eating deep into the African society; this makes the response of the Church logical. The study posits that it is important for African Christians to understand the biblical stance concerning marriage; so that intentional act of single parenting can be curbed.

Culture Stress and Difficulties: Lived Stories of Teenaged Mothers in Macau

The traditional Chinese culture influences perspectives toward family, marital status, and living style in Macau SAR, where Eastern cultures meet Western cultures. Although the Western living styles and standards highly influence the daily practices of residents; broken marriage, single parenting, and divorce are considered taboo in the community. The purpose of this study was to understand how teenaged single mothers describe their sources of stress and difficulties in the city. Eight single mothers, who were at different stages in single parenting and broken marriages, were interviewed and asked to share their lived stories. Guided by the Ecological System Theory, analysis of the data indicated that sources of stress and the behaviors of individuals may be highly influenced by surrounding people, environments, and societies. The results of the current study can help social caring providers and policymakers to better understand not only lived experiences of single mothers, but also the social problems, difficulties, and source of stress of the particular groups of people in society.

Single-parenting influence on child’s academic performances at MutareJunior School, Zimbabwe

The economic hardship that has plagued Zimbabwe has led to a shift from the traditionally intact family to a single-parenthood family. Many factors lead to single parenthood including divorce, separation of all kinds and deaths. Single parenthood negatively impacts on students’ academic development. The researcher explored influences of Single-Parenthood to Academic-Performances (AP) of Grade 6 and 7 students at Mutare Junior School in the Manical and Region of Zimbabwe. The researcher used ‘cross-sectional study design’ to collect data using criterion attainment tests, ‘the Wide Range Achievement Test Level 1 (WRAT-1)’ on 80 students under controlled situations having 40 Single-Parent-Homes (SPH)and 40Double-Parent-Homes (DPH)students. School-established examinations complemented data from theWRAT-1 outcome. Tables and ‘T-tests’ were used for analysis of data. Results revealed children from DPH performing statistically better on the criterion test than those from SPH (t = −4.928, significance value 0.05). The results also indicated males performing better than females both from SPH on the criterion test (t = −4.196, significance value 0.05). In future, research should focus on different single-parent homes to AP. Keywords: Academic performance, influence, pupils, school, single parenting.

Support for lonely fatherhood

This article deals with single paternity in Poland and attempts to support it. Raising offspring is in many opinions the domain of women, a man also brings up, but this issue is less often reflected in everyday publications. Single-parenting men find their niche in the support of various associations, but at the same time social acceptance for such people is growing. Nevertheless, womans can count more on help in lone parenthood than men.

Single Parenting and Its Effects on the Development of Children in Nigeria

The study examined single parenting and its effects on the development of children in Nigeria. The study revealed that single parents/solo parents lack partners to share financial and child care responsibilities with. The study also unveiled that finance is the major problems encountered by the majority of single parents. This is because majority of the single parents find it difficult to meet the basic needs of their children such as food, clothing, school fees, and other personal needs. This also accounts for the difficult in maintaining discipline among their children. The study concluded that majority of single parents are faced with economic, emotional and social problems which translate into greater risk of embarking on dangerous behaviors by their children such as drugs, alcohol and criminal activities. A secondary source of data collection was used for this study. The study recommends that government should create more job opportunities and increase wages as such single parent can also benefit in order to cope with the difficulties they face. Also single parents should engage in savings such as local contribution, that no matter how small their income may be, they may be able to satisfy the required needs of their household, which to some extent will also curtail the crime rate in our dear macrocosm by the children of solo parents.

Effects of single parenting on childcare: A case of single mothers in Masvingo urban, Zimbabwe

This quantitative study sought to explore the effects of single parenting on childcare in Masvingo urban, Zimbabwe. The cross-sectional survey design was adopted in the study. A standardised questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument. A sample of 47 single mothers residing in Masvingo urban was selected using stratified random sampling. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics. Findings of the study revealed that single mothers were labelled as having loose morals and had suffered from a mental disorder at least once before. Single mothers were moving frequently in search of better-paying jobs and cheaper accommodation. This study further revealed that children raised by single mothers did not have behavioural problems but, however, had emotional problems. The study recommended that a comprehensive study covering a wider geographical area be done to enable generalisation of results to a wider population. The study further recommended that policies that support single mothers in their endeavours to support the children be enacted. Keywords: Single mother, childcare, Masvingo.