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Original poster

Why are there so many single parents

161 replies

Nowhereqw · 22/10/2023 19:35

Don't mean to offend anyone but I am new to UK and noticed there are so many single parents.
I am from Asia and most families I know have two parents so I am just curious about it.

OP posts:
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AlwaysGinPlease · 23/10/2023 15:17

goglen · 22/10/2023 19:37

🤔 what a bizarre FIRST* post

Edited

Isn't it just

FawnFrenchieMum · 23/10/2023 08:59

cestlavielife · 22/10/2023 20:44

Op referred to their colleagues at work
So clearly not sponging

Show quote history

Not in the OP she didn’t. I also said, all of the previous answers in addition to mine. Plus, you can work and be supported by government.

StopStartStop · 23/10/2023 08:55

missmollygreen · 22/10/2023 19:43

Riiight, just the men? of course

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'What about the menz? Ooh, not all men are like that!' Squeal squeal.

Truthbomb · 23/10/2023 07:57

Because women are no longer forced and shamed in to staying married or in partnership with abusive, manipulative and chauvinistic men.

Notfeelinghunkydory · 23/10/2023 07:42

rockinginarockingchair · 23/10/2023 00:46

Your as much the blame as him it takes 2 to make a baby and your part was laying down.
Unless he cheated then good for you for leaving.

Edited
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Yes he cheated on me when our baby was 6 months. We were married.

Stealthtax · 23/10/2023 07:34

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

AnOldCynic · 23/10/2023 07:08

Ah, just saw your last post.

No one has mentioned the societal expectations are that people have families. I'm a single mum. I'd actually rather be single without the mum bit as I'd always been ambivalent about having kids.

Then my biological clock started ticking. Partner in no way way to blame for us splitting up. I chose him and I chose to have a child. No useless bloke to blame in this situation.

AnOldCynic · 23/10/2023 06:56

@niclw Bump up your pension payments to bring you down out of the higher rate tax bracket.

Mustardforest · 23/10/2023 00:49

Nowhereqw · 22/10/2023 19:35

Don't mean to offend anyone but I am new to UK and noticed there are so many single parents.
I am from Asia and most families I know have two parents so I am just curious about it.

4 for 10 pounds sambuca shots and an epidemic of broken condom machines in pub toilets.

rockinginarockingchair · 23/10/2023 00:46

Notfeelinghunkydory · 22/10/2023 22:26

Because there's so many men who can't keep their dick in their pants. That's the reason I'm a single parent.

Your as much the blame as him it takes 2 to make a baby and your part was laying down.
Unless he cheated then good for you for leaving.

Tumbleweed101 · 23/10/2023 00:16

In my case it’s because my ex started seeing someone else and then decided to move in with her and leave me and our children to struggle for next decade.

Yes I am bitter. On the flip side I got to be the primary parent and the adult children can see things for what they are now and understand my struggles through their younger years. That makes
the hard work worth it.

niclw · 22/10/2023 23:52

Blahahahah · 22/10/2023 22:27

@niclw I get your point, but just do what all other mid earners do and put the extra into your pension to bring it under the 50k

Not an option unfortunately. I can't afford to pay into my pension at the moment. I live in a small house but in an expensive area of the country. My mortgage is increasing by more than my pension contribution would be each month.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 22/10/2023 23:30

UpUpUpU · 22/10/2023 19:39

People knowing their worth and leaving shitty partners? Not wanting to get into new relationships and so put their children first?

Edited

This!

rockinginarockingchair · 22/10/2023 23:25

Single mums and dads dont bother me .
I was a single mum myself.
But what i dont get is when parents have children then moan that they cant cope or they're not getting enough child care from their parents or needing nannys.
Its like some have children but dont want to raise them.

ConsuelaHammock · 22/10/2023 22:50

BrontëParsonage · 22/10/2023 22:17

Just to blow your (tiny) mind, I had both of my children without the involvement of a man.

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No you didn’t!

Fionaville · 22/10/2023 22:48

65% of relationships in the UK end because Mumsnet exists and every relationship post results in 89% of people saying 'Leave the bastard' 😂
These statistics may not be accurate

Wonkasworld · 22/10/2023 22:45

Wonkasworld · 22/10/2023 22:45

Well whatever the reason, I take my hat off to single mums.

..not forgetting single dads.

Wonkasworld · 22/10/2023 22:45

Well whatever the reason, I take my hat off to single mums.

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 22/10/2023 22:44

ltappleby · 22/10/2023 19:43

You get more money

Oh really?
Tell me how that works then?
My kids' dad was free to work when he wanted, do what he wanted, oh and the woman he's hacked up with was very very wealthy. So he didn't have to earn much or pay much for his kids.
I never recovered financially.
You're nasty.

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 22/10/2023 22:42

StopStartStop · 22/10/2023 19:40

😂
Because a lot of men are nasty, cruel, adulterous bastards and women are not obliged to put up with it.

No point beating about the bush.

Yep.

ResearchMcResearchFace · 22/10/2023 22:35

@Livelovebehappy what possible benefit would splitting up be for someone with children? You say that some give up too easy, why would anyone think that choosing to live alone, have less money, less time with your children, deal with the logistics of who's having the kids every Christmas/ birthday/ school holiday, not really being able to date, was in any way an easy option? No one chooses to bring children up as a divorced parent, it's tough! Having been raised as a child with no father in the picture, it is definitely tougher at times to negotiate with your ex over everything, every minor detail rather than to have complete control/ responsibility. Yes you get some childfree time but at what cost? At the cost of seeing less of your children!

Charlingspont · 22/10/2023 22:30

Because women in this country are extremely capable. We don't necessarily need a second parent in the mix, particularly a poor excuse for one.

ConsuelaHammock · 22/10/2023 22:29

A lot of men just want sex, a lot of women want to be loved and have babies. A lot of women keep the babies conceived after a relatively short relationship. The man doesn’t want the baby . The woman keeps the baby . The man leaves.

gooddayruby · 22/10/2023 22:27

TiredMamOfTwo · 22/10/2023 19:51

Because CSA and benefits. 💷💷💷💷

Who on earth would break up their family for the sole purpose of a few hundred pounds a month? Ive had to survive off uc and it's soul-crushing. You get barely enough to survive, never mind thrive.

Blahahahah · 22/10/2023 22:27

@niclw I get your point, but just do what all other mid earners do and put the extra into your pension to bring it under the 50k