More than 20 million kids in the United States live with one parent. Separation and divorce are the most common reasons for this. In other cases, the mom and dad may never have lived together, or one of them may have died.
Living with one parent instead of two can bring about a lot of emotions. These feelings can be pretty strong, and they can be confusing, too. You might feel terribly sad and angry because your parents divorced.
Single parents are often working parents because someone needs to earn money to buy food, clothing, and a place to live in. Having a job means your mom or dad is able to provide these things and more for you. People work for other reasons, too. A job can let a person use his or her special talents and skills. A job can be important because it helps people in the community.
But even though you might understand why your mom or dad has to work, sometimes it can be hard to accept. This can be especially true during the summer or school vacations. You’re home, they’re gone, and the days can seem really long.
It can be tough when you don’t have enough time with your dad or mom. When you live with one parent, that person really has to do the work of two people. Besides a job, your mom or dad is responsible for caring for the kids, the house, the yard, the car and the pets. So what can you do ?
One of the best ways is to hold a family meeting. Talk about everyone’s schedule for work, school, and activities. You can also talk about what jobs around the house need to be done every day. You might want to help your parent cook dinner sometimes. That can be both fun and helpful to your parent. Maybe you can also schedule a weekly game or a movie at night.
小题1:What are the main reasons for kids’ living with one parent?
A．Separation and divorce.
B．A lot of emotions.
C．Working and caring for the kids.
D．Working parents.小题2:Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Some kids live with one parent for the other’s death.
B．Living with one parent can cause a lot of emotions.
C．Working means a mom or dad is able to provide things for their kids.
D．Kids can also talk about what jobs in their school can be done at a family meeting.小题3:It can be inferred from the underlined sentence (in Paragraph 4 ) that ______
A．the kid in the company of friends does want help
B．the kid who plays with both parents does need their love
C．the kid lacks both parents’ love does feel lonely
D．the kid who understands parents’ work does be helpful小题4:What is the best title for the passage?
A．Living with a single parent
B．Single parents and work
C．How to work with a single parent
D．Schedules for work
