Unbroken Homes

Wendy A. Paterson, Ph.D., Dean, School of Education, Buffalo State University, USA.

• ContentsForeword Acknowledgments Introduction Why Do We Need This Book? The Rest of the Story Labeling and Deviance Defining Family The Importance of Theories and Interpretive Frameworks A Different Side of the Story Investigating the Lived Experiences of Single-Parent Mothers Methodology Presentation of the Book What Can Be Learned from Only Five Women? Chapter 1. What is Family? Mothering, Fathering and Being Single Defining Family Male Instrumentalists and Female Expressives: Gender Roles Defined Parenting: Sainted Mothers and Disappearing Fathers Divorce: A Battleground for Gender Wars Single Women: Apart and Together Conclusion Squares of the Quilt: Single Mothers Through Their Own Eyes The Story Quilt The Interviews The Women Chapter 2. Judith: “Getting My Life Back” Parents and Parenting Sensitivity to Stereotyping Facing Aloneness and Finding Strength The Question of Quality Time Beyond the Divorce: Parenting Changes Divorce As Liberation Emotional Codependency with Her Son Completing the Journey Chapter 3. Kathleen: “I Want to Do Everything Right” The Divorce Experience Providing Every Opportunity Reflections on Divorce Multiple Roles and Role Conflicts Teaching Values Learning About New Relationships: Her Significant Other Conclusion Chapter 4. Shawna: “Stand Your Ground” Power and Control: A Question of Property From the Other Side: The Child of a “Bad” Marriage Having a Baby, Not a Wedding Parenting Tasha The Good Aunt: Parenting a Teenage Mother's Troubled Daughter Breaking Out and Breaking Down Chapter 5. Lyn: “Just Get On with It” Three Generations of Single Moms Lyn's Divorce: Getting On with It Child Rearing: Encouraging Independence Myself Alone Coping with Depression Old and New Myths Retirement: No Place for Women Conclusion Chapter 6. Sarah: “Reparenting the Child in Me” The Characters The Settings Living in a Dysfunctional Marriage A History of Abuse Sarah Reparenting Herself Sarah's Daughters: Adolescent Storms Family: When It Works School and the Single Parent The Final Act: Picking Up the Pieces Conclusion: A Disaster and an Irish Blessing Chapter 7. Viewing the Quilt: Patterns and Themes Introduction Families and Parenting Gender Wars Revisited Women's Development: Journeys Through Self and Relationship The Children of Divorce: Before and After Conclusions and Recommendations References Index