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| Support groups for single fathers grow |
by Jenna-Leigh Tracy
Scroll Staff |
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There is a group in the United States that has grown more than 60 percent in the past decade — single fathers.
An annual study specifically targeted to the american family was released by the government and results suggests that single fathers have increased over 50 % during the past decade.
“Households headed by a single dad with his [children] at home rose 62 percent from 1990 to 2000,” according to www.census.gov.
Because the number of single fathers has increased, special support groups have been organized to issue support for one another.
One such support group is www.athomedad.org. This Web site offers suggestions and advice for all who wish to use the organization.
The founder of this organization for single fathers is Peter Baylies.
Athomedad.com offers a free newsletter for those who are interested. Baylies’ Web site receives more than 2,000 hits a week.
There are a few factors that have contributed to this growth of single fatherhood in the United States.
“I think we are seeing more dads assert their interest and their rights,” James Levine, director of the Fatherhood Project at the Families and Work Institute, said. “More women are feeling they won’t be demonized if they are not the custodial parent.”
Other theories say that fathers have become more aware of the role of parents.
“Fathers have become more aware of the importance of their role as parents,” Martha Farnsworth Riche, former head of the Census Bureau, said.
One drawback to becoming a single father is the feeling of isolation.
“A 1996 study by a psychology professor at an Illinois community college found that 66 percent of the caregiver fathers felt somewhat or totally isolated, compared with 37 percent of caregiving mothers,” according to www.athomedad.org.
The study also showed that the single fathers were extremely satisfied with their arrangement, according to the Web site, www.athomedad.org.
The Web site www.athomedad.org released results of a survey they conducted.
The number one reason that single fathers stayed home was because they wanted to keep their kids out of daycare, according to www.athomedad.org.
One father writes on the survey, “I quit my electrical engineering job and haven’t looked back,” Timothy Nohe of Catonville, Md., said.
Nohe further writes about his career ambitions: “Go back to work? I’m not itching to get back in the work force.”
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