Poll: Does Single Parenting Make A Difference?

I know as a child of divorce and a single parent myself, I have been determined to give my kids every advantage.  I want them to learn from my mistakes.  I want my daughter to get her degree and be sure that no matter what happens in her life that she can take care of herself and children if she has them and not have to struggle from week to week.  I take any teachable moment that presents itself to give my son a head start down that road, too, but also down the path of learning to be a good father who will be in his children's lives and a good partner when we decides to marry.

I encourage them to try anything that interests them, and do whatever it takes to make it happen.  Maybe with the support, love, and encouragement I give them, I might have a Michael Phelps someday. 

Being a single mom, I already know the world thinks the deck is stacked against my kids, and especially my son.  I've been determined since day one of our break-up to help my kids prove them wrong.

Any idea why his dad isn't in China with him?

I think RB makes a good point, but there are so many variables in this equation.

Genetic predispositions, environmental factors, and the other almost infinite factors affecting a person as they grow makes it almost impossible to determine how much of a factor it makes, but it certainly had to have some effect. Whether is was positive or not is just a guessing game, likely biased to one's own experiences.

How many parents do the Chinese gymnasts have, who are taken from their families as young as three, and sent away to be molded into athletic machines by the communist, all in the name of a warped geo-political strategy?

I don't believe it had a direct effect.  I think more important than a "single" parent he had a "loving" parent.  I think if we concentrate more on that aspect than divorced or not then our children would grow up a lot happier and more successful.

I do not.

yes. i do.  what's that saying about if you have an impossible job to do, give it to a single mother and she'll have it done in half the time and under budget?