17. Lone Parent: Alone by Choice or Circumstance?

What is a lone parent?

Some would say it’s a person raising children on their own. Others might say it’s someone raising children all alone. But what’s the difference?

• Raising children on your own suggests an element of choice. Perhaps you’ve decided not to involve others, whether due to past experiences, mistrust, or simply knowing it’s easier to go it alone.
• Raising children all alone, however, is a different story. It’s not always about choice. You may have friends or family around, but they’re emotionally or practically unavailable. They don’t get involved, maybe because they can’t be bothered, or perhaps because they’ve already raised their own children and have no plans to support anyone else’s.

So, whose life is harder?
The parent who is alone by choice, or the parent who is left alone by everyone else?

That’s the real question.