In ideal situations, children would get to grow up with both of their parents present. Of course, this type of arrangement is not always feasible for a variety of reasons. In particular, divorce can cause Alabama families to separate into two households, and numerous children live in single parent homes for most of their lives due to child custody arrangements.
A recent report indicated that the number of children who live in single-parent households has increased over the last four decades. In 1968, the percentage of children living with an unmarried parent was 13 percent, and in 2017, that number had increased to 32 percent. It was also noted that 3 percent of children were not living with either parent.
Of the single-parent households, one out of every five children live with a single mother. While this statistic indicates that the majority of children live with their mothers, there has been an increase in single-father households. In 2017, the percentage of children living with single fathers had increased to 4 percent from 1 percent in 1968. It may be prudent to note that these statistics are representative of the homes in which children spend the majority of their time when custody time is not equal.
Any decisions regarding child custody and the time spent with each parent can be difficult. A number of extenuating circumstances could impact the arrangements, and arriving at the best terms for the kids is not always easy. If Alabama residents are concerned about their custody options, they may want to gain information from local legal resources.
Source: pewresearch.org, “About one-third of U.S. children are living with an unmarried parent“, Gretchen Livingston, April 27, 2018
