28% of American children lived with only one parent in 2013 (“Single Parenthood”). Adolescents in these homes are more likely to have behavioral problems, be in poverty and lack food (Link). They are also more likely to use drugs, have sex earlier than their peers, and be victims of abuse (Lauer, 2012). However, it should be noted that these are extreme cases and do not apply to many single-parent children. Personally, I cannot understand the serious difficulties faced by other children in my situation, but thanks to my mother, I can understand the difficulties of single parents. She had the misfortune of raising me alone for eighteen years, without child support, and I saw her suffer from three types of overload, sometimes at the same time. Thanks to her will to be strong, we persevered through our difficult times and I hope to one day repay her for all that she gave.