What It Means
A single parent is a mother or father raising children without a spouse or partner living in the same home. It covers parents who are divorced, separated, widowed or never married, and parents who share custody with a former partner as well as those who raise their children alone. The Census Bureau tracks how many children live with their mother only or their father only in its yearly living arrangements tables.
Try It: Check Your Backup Plan for a Sick Day
Tick what's already arranged for the day your child is sick and you're due at work. This list is Buhata's own example.
All six arranged.
Pick one unticked item and set it up this week.
How Parents Say It
- "I'm a single mom, so it's all on me this week."
- "It's just me and the kids."
- "Their dad has them on weekends, the rest is me."
The Breakdown
How many children live with two parents, by age, per the Census Bureau (2023)
| Child's age | Lived with two parents | Did not live with two parents |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 | 75% | 25% |
| 12 to 17 | 68% | 32% |
The rest lived with one parent, with other relatives or with non-relatives. The Census Bureau's historical tables break out the mother-only and father-only counts each year.
What each stage tends to ask of one adult. These are Buhata's examples, not an official list.
| Stage | Where a single parent often needs a second pair of hands |
|---|---|
| Baby and toddlerToddlerA child from 1 to 3 years old, the stage CDC's parenting guidance places between infancy and the preschool years. See more | Child care hours that match a work shift, sick daysSick leaveTime off work an employer allows when you're ill, injured or caring for your health, paid or unpaid depending on the employer's policy and state or local law. See more |
| Grade school | The gap between school ending and work ending, school holidays |
| Teen | Rides to activities, a trusted adult for check-ins |
When to reach out. For help paying for child care, your state's child care assistance office can tell you what you qualify for. Care.com's 2026 Cost of Care Report puts the average for daycare at $332 a week, which is a large share of one income. If you're running on empty, your own doctor is a good person to tell.
Good to Know
The Census Bureau's 2025 release on families found that 39% of families had their own children under 18 at home, down from 54% in 1975. Figures for children living with one parent are updated in the Census historical tables each year, so check the latest table before quoting a number. The Census Bureau also marks National Single Parent Day on March 21.
FAQ
What counts as a single parent?
A parent raising children without a spouse or partner in the home, whether divorced, separated, widowed or never married. A single parent may also share custody with the child's other parent.
How many children live with a single parent?
In 2023 the Census Bureau found 75% of children under 6 and 68% of teens 12 to 17 lived with two parents. The yearly counts of children living with their mother only or father only are in the Census historical living arrangements tables.
Where can a single parent get help with child care costs?
Start with your state's child care assistance office. It can tell you whether your income and work hours qualify.
Do It in Buhata
Handoff Card and Calendar
Put your backup adults, the pickup list and your child's doctor and medicines on a Handoff Card (Premium) in Buhata, and add school holidays to the Calendar with a Reminder a week ahead.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Co-parenting
Two parents who live apart sharing the job of raising their child, working together on rules, schedules and decisions across both homes.
- Working parent
A parent who holds a paid job, full time or part time, while raising children.
- Parental burnout
Exhaustion from the job of parenting that builds when its demands outweigh a parent's resources for a long time, often with emotional distance from the children.
- Daycare cost
What families pay a child care center or home daycare, which Care.com's 2026 Cost of Care Report puts at $332 a week on average.
- After-school program
Supervised care and activities for school-age children in the hours after the school day ends, often with homework help, enrichment, sports or clubs.
Sources
U.S. Census Bureau, "Three-Quarters of Children Younger Than 6 Years Old Live With Two Parents" (2023); U.S. Census Bureau, "Census Bureau Releases New Estimates on America's Families and Living Arrangements" (2025); U.S. Census Bureau, "Historical Living Arrangements of Children"; U.S. Census Bureau, "National Single Parent Day: March 21, 2024"; Care.com, "How Much Does Child Care Cost? 2026 Cost of Care Report"
- www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/children-families-living-arrangements.html
- www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/families-and-living-arrangements.html
- www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/families/children.html
- www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/single-parent-day.html
Last updated .