In
my daily environment, I have many supports including financial supports (my
job, my husband’s job, daycare tuition assistance through the Child Care
Assistance Program, free/reduced school lunch program), emotional supports (love
and friendship of family and close friends), and medical supports (medicaid,
employer-provided medical insurance, physical therapy, medications). Life would
be very difficult for me without these supports. They are all important and
play essential roles in my life. Without financial supports, I would not be
able to feed or clothe my children and every day would be a struggle to
survive. Without emotional supports, I would feel alone and over-stressed.
Without medical supports, I would be unable to live due to chronic health
conditions.
The
challenge that I chose to imagine was being a single mother with no close
family near me. In this situation, I would likely need a multitude of supports
similar to what I currently have, but they would not come nearly as easily. For
instance, my parents watch my children twice per week to help cut down on
daycare costs as well as to spend time with their grandchildren. A single mother
with no relatives nearby would have to build a network of trusted individuals.
Single parents generally would have less income, as well, as only one parent is
contributing to household income, and sometimes not even then in the case of a
stay at home mother with no other options or resources. That parent may not
have social or emotional supports and may feel isolated. Life without these
supports would be very difficult.
