Until a few years ago, the concept of single mother was not very welcomed, if it was a widow then she had the support of the family, but for a divorced, separated or unwed mother, she was not at all welcomed but found it very difficult to raise a child. I remember, when actress Neena Gupta gave birth to  a child born out of her affair with Sir Viv Richards,it was a great scandal and much talked about. But now with more education and open approach, more and more women choose to remain single, some even adopting children without getting married, Sushmita Sen for example. Society is now becoming more open and friendlier to such women.

Marriage and parenting is a person's personal choice. There is always two side of a coin, similarly, single parenting and parenting in wedlock have their own pros and cons. Not all married parents are a good parents and not all single parents are bad parents for a child. The financial burden for a single parent can be more than a married parent slightly but the quality of parenting solely depends on the relationship between a parent and child. Adoption agency prefer married parents over single parents while handing over a child. But there are cases, where single parents have been a better parent for the child. The factors that an adoption agency look for in a parent are financial stability, a proper house, and health of the prospective adoptive parents, if a single parent fulfills these requirement then a single parent can also adopt a child. If the adoption agency is reluctant in giving the child to single parent then the single parent can file a complaint considering the law of the adoption agencies that states single female parents can adopt a child. Although, single male parents are not allowed to adopt a female child according to the law of adoption. I believe the child and parent choose who they want to be with, whether it is a single parent or married parent.  

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

Until a few years ago, the concept of single mother was not very welcomed, if it was a widow then she had the support of the family, but for a divorced, separated or unwed mother, she was not at all welcomed but found it very difficult to raise a child. I remember, when actress Neena Gupta gave birth to  a child born out of her affair with Sir Viv Richards,it was a great scandal and much talked about. But now with more education and open approach, more and more women choose to remain single, some even adopting children without getting married, Sushmita Sen for example. Society is now becoming more open and friendlier to such women.

It is easier for celebrities and affluent people as the expectations differ for them

No doubt our society is changing regarding this issue. My own aunt was separated from her husband after 4 years of marriage after he got involved with another lady. My aunt was earning , so financially she had no problems in bringing up her two children with absolutely no help from their father . He would visit when he felt like and give her advise on how to bring up " His" children giving some pocket money to them.. zBut she had to suffer all the insults and barbs as to why he left her because she was unable to hold on to him etc..he of course happily went on to the several women with no problem at all.. Thankfully, she had full support of her maternal family and his family too. 

Things have come a long way in the past two decades and now no one really cares and are not quick to judge either ..

usha manohar wrote:

No doubt our society is changing regarding this issue. My own aunt was separated from her husband after 4 years of marriage after he got involved with another lady. My aunt was earning , so financially she had no problems in bringing up her two children with absolutely no help from their father . He would visit when he felt like and give her advise on how to bring up " His" children giving some pocket money to them.. zBut she had to suffer all the insults and barbs as to why he left her because she was unable to hold on to him etc..he of course happily went on to the several women with no problem at all.. Thankfully, she had full support of her maternal family and his family too. 

Things have come a long way in the past two decades and now no one really cares and are not quick to judge either ..

An incredible lady to go through so much!

Definitely all these societal notions change with the time with more empowered individuals. Empowered with education and financial independence. But the sad point or drawback is that individuals are getting empowered but the society as a whole is not able to keep a pace with that. That is the main reason for the differences and the taboo being associated with such incidences. Hopefully with changing time, we will have empowered society.

Arunima Singh wrote:

usha manohar wrote:

No doubt our society is changing regarding this issue. My own aunt was separated from her husband after 4 years of marriage after he got involved with another lady. My aunt was earning , so financially she had no problems in bringing up her two children with absolutely no help from their father . He would visit when he felt like and give her advise on how to bring up " His" children giving some pocket money to them.. zBut she had to suffer all the insults and barbs as to why he left her because she was unable to hold on to him etc..he of course happily went on to the several women with no problem at all.. Thankfully, she had full support of her maternal family and his family too. 

Things have come a long way in the past two decades and now no one really cares and are not quick to judge either ..

An incredible lady to go through so much!

Definitely all these societal notions change with the time with more empowered individuals. Empowered with education and financial independence. But the sad point or drawback is that individuals are getting empowered but the society as a whole is not able to keep a pace with that. That is the main reason for the differences and the taboo being associated with such incidences. Hopefully with changing time, we will have empowered society.

I agree that there are still certain sections where any deviation from the norm for a woman is still a taboo. We keep hearing all those horror stories from Haryana and other states where the Panchayat still rules..

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

Until a few years ago, the concept of single mother was not very welcomed, if it was a widow then she had the support of the family, but for a divorced, separated or unwed mother, she was not at all welcomed but found it very difficult to raise a child. I remember, when actress Neena Gupta gave birth to  a child born out of her affair with Sir Viv Richards,it was a great scandal and much talked about. But now with more education and open approach, more and more women choose to remain single, some even adopting children without getting married, Sushmita Sen for example. Society is now becoming more open and friendlier to such women.

Adopting child is Nobel deed and all must be praise it. But having child by a unmarried woman is not accepted in our society.

Things ve changed for better nowadays. Earlier it was not accepted, but nowadays people are gradually accepting them. But as Anil has mentioned, comparatively speaking the society tends to accept the divorcee, adoption more easily that children born out of wedlock.

@ Vishakha,as far as I know a single male can adopt female child but there should be an age gap of 21 years. Same is the case with female. If single female wants to adopt male child there should be an age difference of at least 21 years

@Jabeen Single male parent can only adopt a male child not a female child according to the laws of adoption. Single male parent are not allowed to adopt a girl child according to the guidelines of the adoption agency. As I have been reading adoption guidelines for sometime.