National Singles Parents Day is a day that’s observed on March 21st and is used to commemorate the hard-working mothers and fathers who have to parent their children without a partner. It’s a day to remember that single parents give their work hard and sacrifice to make sure that their children have a high standard of living. And this is the perfect day in which all of us can show them how much we appreciate their hard work, devotion, and sacrifice.

The History Of National Single Parents Day

The true roots of National Single Parents day can be traced all the way back to the mid-1980s. This is when Janice Moglen wrote an article in 1984 suggesting that a holiday be created for single parents. Janice, along with an organization called Parents Without Partners, started a petition to have a Single Parent’s Day holiday officially declared in the U.S. The day chosen for the holiday was March 21st—the day Parents Without Partners was established in 1957. Eventually, Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5166 declaring March 21, 1984, National Single Parents Day.

Facts About Single Parent Households

As we continued to do our research for this holiday, we’ve come across some facts about single-parent households that we’d like to share. We’ve listed some of the most important ones below. Most of the following statistics indicate just a small fraction of the challenges faced by single mothers and fathers all over the U.S and the world.

• Approximately 25% of the children in the U.S are raised in single-parent households.
• Approximately 30% of babies born in the U.S were born to single mothers in 2000.
• A third of all single-parent households live in poverty.
• Single-parent households headed by women account for 12.1% of all U.S households.
• Single-parent households headed by a man account for 2.3% of all U.S households.
• The average age of a single parent is approximately 39 years old.
• Single fathers are more likely to be cohabiting than single mothers.
• Loneliness is a serious issue facing single parents.
• It can be more difficult for single parents to discipline their children than it is for couples.
• Parents can be single not only due to divorce but also due to death or incarceration as well.
• Children are 50% more likely to suffer from health problems following a divorce of their parents.
• Children of divorce report greater instances of speed defects and headaches.

Observing National Single Parents Day

Probably the best way for anyone to celebrate National Single Parents Day is to take the time to show your support to a single parent that you know. This can be a word of encouragement, telling them that you’re proud of what they’re doing, or by simply offering them some assistance if they need it. It’s also a good day to use the hashtag #NationalSingleParentsDay on your social media platforms to elevate the presence of this holiday and enlighten people about the challenges that single parents face every day.