Why is it that so many boys from single parent homes don’t do well at school and get involved in crime?
While boys from single parent households are over represented in both the underachievement and criminal statistics, it isn’t single parenthood that is the problem. The view is usually absence of fathers means that boys lose their way and therefore the lack of good role models is the problem. However, the problem isn’t absence of fathers, but the absence of discipline and boundaries (traditionally seen as male attributes). Where boys lack discipline and boundaries this too often leads to underachievement and involvement in crime. We all know single mothers who provide their son’s tight boundaries and they do not have the predicted difficulties. So, if there is a problem in single parent households it is usually where mothers are struggling to maintain boundaries and discipline, and support to develop these is surely better than blame and rapprochement.
