• Single-parent homes stress more about bills on average than two-parent homes.Paying Bills image by ne_fall_photos from Fotolia.com
  
  Single parenthood affects all members of the family differently. Children who grow up in a two-parent household have financial and educational advantages that single-parent families simply do not have, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Almost 50 percent of children spend time in single-parent families, according to Princeton University's Center for Child Well-being. Psychological effects on every single-parent family may vary but generally have three distinct similarities.
  
  

Abandonment

• This type of thinking can affect both the child and parent. If divorce results in the single-parent family, the child may wonder what why one of his parents had to leave him. This could also prove true for a child of a deceased parent. The single parent may feel abandonment from the absent parent and become overwhelmed by all the responsibility of raising children alone. The child and the parent must learn to communicate about feelings of abandonment in order to move forward with the relationship. Counseling could prove beneficial for both the parent and the child in working through abandonment, according to the Single Parent Center website.
  
  

Stress

• Financial and time management problems could provide more stress to the single-parent family. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, children living with a single parent were more likely to live near the poverty line than in two-parent homes. Paying for basic bills such as rent, utilities, food and gas may prove more difficult than in the past. Older children may have to help out with family finances by getting a job, adding stress to an already busy high-school schedule.
  
  

Despondence

• A sudden single parent household may result in a child's or parent's despondence toward work, school and family, according to Single Parent Center. The parent communication with school teachers is imperative in helping the child continue to participate appropriately in school even in the midst of sadness. Obtaining a mentor for the child may help the situation as this adds another positive adult influence to the child's life. The parent should work on her despondence by seeking professional help or joining a single-parent's support group either online or locally.