The Myth of Doomed Kids

Summary

In “ The Myth of Doomed Kids”, the author Depaulo is talking about children raised in different homes. His main topic is children who are raised in two parent homes, and children who are not raised in two family homes. Depaulo explains that children who are not raised with two Parents tend to be more trouble. Whether it be with delinquency, failure or his most talked about topic, substance abuse. The percent of drug and substance abuse in single parent homes, the author says are very high. Children without two parents seem to be labeled as “non normal” or “illegitimate”, because they only have one parent there for them. The percent of children who does not have both parents living with them is 5.7, and children who do have both parents living with them is 4.7. Depaulo asks over and over again, why is there such a small difference between the two? Depaulo sees the two groups to be no different, but when you stop and think about it they are all the same. That children who live in two family homes tend to not just live with two parents, but other relatives that are there to help them out, like an grandparent or aunt or uncle. Even sometimes the two parents are never both home at the same time, even though a child has two parents some don’t get two people who love them and apprentice them at the same time. So aren’t they just like single parent children? Depaulo explains that no matter how many parents are in a home with a child, its they are loved and treated that helps them, and no matter what sometimes parents can still end up with lots of chaos from their children.

Response

I agree with the author in so many ways. I think just because a child has or is living with one parent is the same as any child living with two. Before my parents got married I was a child in a single family home, just me and my mom. Even though it was just her raisin me, I still feel I had all the love and support I needed. I feel that just because a child doesn’t have two parents doesn’t make them an outcast or have failure. Children who have two parents and children who don’t have the same opportunities, and its just up to them to pursue them to the best they can, or just become another statistic. I just wish that society and everyone in it just stop wasting their time and blaming the reason for children becoming bad on their family background. Sometimes it has nothing to do at all with the child’s family, sometimes it maybe just a personal choice to rebel and do something society would never approve of. When I was done reading this essay I felt a lot of anger, because I felt they were talking about me and where I came from, when in real life they know nothing about me or my life. I’m just so tired of single raised children all being into a bad seed category. It’s time for everyone to open up their eyes and see a new view and new change.