THE EFFECT OF SINGLE PARENTING CHILD UPBRINGING ON SCHOOL CHILDREN: CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED INDIVIDUALS IN IKAOKHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Nurturing and upbringing of a child by parents in the society is a reality, but the bringing up of a child by a single parent has become a practice, which is increasing in the modern society. The issue of single parenting is a sensitive issue that the upbringing of a child should be the responsibility of conventional parent. In this content, bringing up of a child by a single parent under possible conditions and challenges that raising a child entails, the belief of the society over a well cultured and responsible child to be from a conventional family is not in doubt. This is because, the raising up or upbringing of a child by a single parent could result to a well cultured and responsible child in the society in his or her own way, as other children from conventional home do (Yackley, 2012).

In recent times, there has been a drastic increased in single parenting upbringing of children. A total of 56% is recorded by the result of the census done in USA recent study survey 5 shows that conventional upbringing of children has been lost to single parent upbringing of children. In contemporary times, single parent family are a growing trend in the society, today facing challenges and difficulties as well as having too much responsibilities to care for. The fact remains that conventional parent upbringing of children would yield better result when compared to single parenting upbringing. Single parents child upbringing can make children have lesser opportunity of becoming what they really want to make out of themselves, in the sense that single parents care is not always able to meet up to the child’s demand needs and want (Uwubamwen, 2012).

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The major problem of this study is to examine the possible effect of single parenting child upbringing on children in Ika  Local Government Area in a selected manner. The problem is concerned with the single parent family encountering difficulties in one way or the other like, the issue of a single parent upbringing of a child who become unproductive and useless to the society, because of the inadequate attention the child never gained from the single parent. The problem ascertains is that there is decline in conventional child upbringing of children in Ika  Local Government Area. A survey of this problem formed the basis of the study.

1.3    PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The research was undertaken for the following reasons;

1.        To determine the causes of single parenting child upbringing

2.        To confirm the acclaimed in single parenting child upbringing in Ika  Local Government Area.

3.        To ascertain the effects of single parenting child upbringing in order to be able to proffer solution to bring reduction of a single parent upbringing of children.

1.5    RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Considering the aforementioned purpose of this research, the following research questions are proposed as a guide in this study.

a.         Is there any significant differences between the pupils of single parent and their counterparts?

b.        Is there any difference on the academic performance of single parents pupils and those that are brought up by their fathers and mothers?

c.         Does single parents limit the pupils in terms of education?

d.        To what extent can the positive outcome  derive from conventional parent child upbringing in Ika  Local Government Area be compared to the negative outcome in a single parent child upbringing in Oredo Local Government Area?

1.6    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Parenthood is quite challenging and there are numerous findings that will be obtained from this research because it (study) will desire in clarity, how single parents cope with the sole responsibility of bringing up children to become adults and responsible children, like those in conventional homes.

It will expose the challenges in parenting as a single parent. It will reveal the benefits and positive outcomes in the children of single parent homes.

It will talk about child upbringing parenting and its relationship to single parenting. It will expose the experiences of single parent in caring for their children and how they can encourage others in similar situation.

It will serve as working tool for single parent and conventional parents to learn how to tackle the problems associated with the upbringing of a child.

1.7    SCOPE OF THE STUDY/DELIMITATION

The study embraces some selected individuals in Ika  Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State . But this research however cannot cover all the selected individuals in Ika Local government Area as a whole, therefore it is limited to selected individuals in Ekae Community in Ika  Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State .

1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS

Parenting: The process of caring for children.

Divorce: A separation between legally married husband and wife.

Affluent women: Women having a lot of money and a good standard of living.

Parenthood: The state of being a parent caring for your responsibility as a parent.

Conventional Parent: The process where the husband and the wife are living together in a home.

Conventional Parental Care: The process whereby the husband and wife are involved in caring for the children.

Masturbation: Getting sexual pleasure by rubbing the sexual organs.