Article Review
The issue of working solo-parent women has always been urgent, and its significance only increased with the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, many articles and researches concentrate on the analysis and deep consideration of the problem. The chosen articles give an understanding of the issue from various perspectives. They proceed with it on both global and localized levels, hence some of them provide specific information for certain countries or regions while others depict broad-based and more general data. The combination of work and parenthood is a compound issue, especially in single-parent families, and some works aim to find the right work-life balance for single parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various professions and occupations are analyzed throughout the studies, for example, Halley (2020) concentrates on solo mothers being physicians. At the same time, Jusoh et al. (2020) tell about the impact on such women in Malaysia, and Lavado et al. (2021) concentrate on the Philippines. Other authors such as Taylor (2021) and Hertz (2021) depict the issue globally. Hence, based on the related literature a conclusion about acknowledged challenges for working solo-parent mothers during the coronavirus pandemic can be made.
Methodology and Research Questions
The central question is in defining challenges of working solo-parent women amidst the COVID-19 period. In the study, mostly the desk research which means the collection of data from the secondary sources is utilized. Such data sources as governmental statistic committee websites, previous research, cross-cultural and international studies, as well as local information from the Calamba City regulation. Additionally, diverse online polls were posted to form a ranking of the most significant problems faced by single mothers in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemics. However, the research was limited by the inability of offline-questioning, fulfilling paper-based polls, and directly talking to respondents. Hence, several corollary questions may occur based on the aim of the study. Is the level of psychological pressure in solo-parent women during the coronavirus period higher than when working offline? How can the stress levels be reduced, and what is the relevant solution? What is the overall state of the problem in Calamba City? The research objectives include estimating the level of psychological pressure on single mothers during the coronavirus pandemic, examine the inherent triggers influencing their mental wellbeing, and finding appropriate solutions for the issue.
Challenges Faced by Single Mothers during the COVID-19
Due to the new restrictions on social interactions, self-isolation, and stay-at-home regulations brought by the coronavirus, people’s levels of stress, depression, negative emotions increase. It is mostly seen in single-parent families where the lack of free time, social contact, and economic instability leads to even bigger emotion outbursts and higher stress experienced by single parents. For example, Taylor et al. (2021) state that single mothers, based on the research results, are more socially isolated, have less social contacts, interactions, and emotional support than married women. The job and the responsibility of supporting their families lead to even higher pressure on the mental and physical health of single mothers. Due to their occupational specifics, physician mothers additionally have feelings of guilt and emotional disconnection that arise from stress and constant distancing to reduce the infection risks (Halley et al., 2021). The work with patients pressurizes the individual’s psychological state and brings higher responsibility to their relatives and family protection.
Single mothers’ ability to simultaneously perform their functions as employees and mothers, friends, relatives depends on the country and type of accommodation they live in as well. Hertz (2021) states that for working single-parent mothers it is extremely difficult to remain productive and concentrate on their job during the lockdown or remote working as their kids stay at home and demand attention. In some countries where the lockdown was not introduced as a protective measure, it is easier to cope with the responsibilities; however, the rising infection rate is a huge concern for such environments. For example, in Malaysia, single mothers face anxiety and stress due to their financial state, high levels of psychological pressure, and the need to perform additional responsibilities (Jusoh, 2020). Such include acting as both mother and father, educating their children, performing household and job responsibilities, provide the children’s welfare and well-being (Jusoh, 2020). Therefore, it can be concluded that one-parent mothers experience high levels of pressure, stress, and anxiety, and cannot care for themselves as long as they have to support and care about their umpteen responsibilities.
Single Mothers’ Issue Situation in the Calamba City, PH
The situation in Calamba City is mostly similar to the previously described models. According to Lavado et al. (2021), the Philippines have an extremely severe lockdown; therefore, many women stay home with their families and are asked to perform multiple functions as mothers, employees, cleaners, and the like. Due to strict regulations, single mothers in Calamba possess high levels of stress and are worried about their financial state and the ability to support their families. In the majority of households, men earn more than women, which levels up the urgency of the single mothers’ financial situation (Lavado et al., 2021). In conclusion, women in Calamba City experience the same conditions as described in general and broad-based studies. Therefore, the situation cannot be considered as critical, although the psychological state of those women arises many worries.
References
Taylor, Z. E., Bailey, K., Herrera, F., Nair, N., & Adams, A. (2021). Strength of the heart: stressors, gratitude, and mental health in single mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Psychology.
Halley, M. C., Mathews, K. S., Diamond, L. C., Linos, E., Sarkar, U., Mangurian, C., Sabry, H., Goyal, M. K., Olazo, K., Miller, E. G., Jagsi, R., & Linos, E. (2021). The intersection of work and home challenges faced by physician mothers during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: a mixed-methods analysis. Journal of Women’s Health, 30(4), 514-524.
Jusoh, M. N., & Latada, F. (2020). The challenges faced by single mothers in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal Al-Sirat, 1(19), 80-87.
Hertz, R., Mattes, J., & Shook, A. (2021). When paid work invades the family: single mothers in the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Issues, 42(9), 2019-2045.
Lavado, R. F., Nowacka, K., Raitzer, D., Rodgers, Y., & Zveglich, J. E. (2021). COVID-19 disparities by gender and income: evidence from the Philippines. International Labor Review.