“Single parent”. Is that when you’re split or there’s no dad

[Theos]

Genuine query. Respect to all shapes and sizes of parents

Listening to an audiobook about a woman who describes herself as a single parent, but there is a father who also has shared custody obviously.

so my question is - if you’re divorced and coparent are you a single parent

To add to that that, a single parent is a parent who literally doesn't have a partner/boyfriend whatever

Definitely single parent. It's been called that at least since my mum was a single parent (abusive dad had us every other weekend and half the holidays; mum stigmatised, in poverty, homeless, struggling).

Dad (or, more rarely, mum) having children at weekends isn't the same as having someone to share the responsibility, unless the dad's around a lot or taking on the management, planning, decisions, liaising with schools, GP, doing the extra curricular activities and seriously aware and involved in the children's emotional etc. development.
Financially it's usually hard, too.
And in the dating world!

I think it's important too to remember there's still some stigma against women with children who aren't in a relationship. It can be difficult going to some churches, for example, as an unmarried mother.

It's all usually much, much harder for a lone parent, who has relentless responsibility without a break. But many single parents are also stigmatised and struggling.

Also just to say my child's dad has her regularly every week however I would in no way say we co-parent. We don't talk as he doesn't want to. I get little money from him, I deal with her problems and behaviour and have no one to take to about her and that side and I make every single decision. He just wants to deal with her at his and that's it

A solo mum generally refers to someone who has chosen to have children alone, either through donor conception or adoption. There is no second parent

I still called myself a single parent when I had a boyfriend in my early 20s too. He wasn’t contributing financially to my household or to bringing up my child..

I'd class myself as a single parent (even though she's now an adult)
Between the ages of 3 and now she's been overnight a max of 2 weeks worth a year ( barely that sometimes) and any help financial or otherwise was non existent.

There's a vast difference in that and having a dad that looks after his kids regularly and provides financially and when needed. Yet we are both single parents.

There's so many degrees of coparenting though! From taking the kids to McDonald's when you feel like it to proper 50/50 actively involved in decision making

I see single parent as a very broad term that just tells you that there is only one parent in the household. I wouldn't assume anything about the level of co-parenting, etc. from it.

I refer to myself as a single parent, when in fact I'm a lone or solo parent as I had DC on my own. I don't really feel the need to use those terms though.