by Ren Huff

Created on: February 26, 2009

If it is done often and long enough it will become the norm. This is how most issues have evolved in our society today. A fad is started by one person wearing a ridiculous outfit and spreading the word that it is the new "cool". Everyone wants to be cool so the word gets around quick and before you know it the world has caught on. It is now accepted into society.

Why would anyone want to follow the "one-parent family" fad? What makes it look so glamorous? How/Why has it become so widely accepted? Truly it is not a fad at all. A fad comes and goes. It changes with the wind. One-parent families do not work that way. Even if the one parent does choose to marry later, the lingering damage will spill over and forever affect that one parent's future. So what is all the hype about?

One strength our society thrives on is learning to accept everyone. Another is doing everything possible to lend a hand. This thinking is supposed to make the world a better place. Instead at times it backfires. Such is the case here.

The acceptance and lending of the hand has been misconstrued as acceptance of the act. We desire so much to help the young parent as they struggle day to day to pay bills and find decent daycare. Therefore we step in and go above and beyond to help. We lend money. We babysit. We tell the parent how wonderful and brave they are. We say something like "I wish I was as strong as you." We hear stories of single parents being heroes for raising 5 successful kids. They become our role models.

The talk in young teen girls becomes "I don't need a man to help raise my child! I am strong enough to do it myself." The young father says "I will just throw some money her way every now and then to suffice and I will go my own way. I am not responsible. After all, whatever I don't provide the rest of the world will."

On and on it goes. It is now the norm. Society has accepted such fate. You are less likely to be looked down upon as a single parent than if you aborted the child. Abortion is murder. Therefore, the answer is to be a one-parent family. All of this must equal up to "one-parent families" being ok, right?

No doubt the women's lib movement has played some role in this. This movement feeds on young women who have low self-worth, telling them "We believe in you. You do have the power to overcome. You don't need a man." Therefore young men rightfully get angry and wrongfully give up their duties. After all, society has accepted it.

There is a fine line between lending a hand,

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