Unwed Mother and today's Single Mother, mean the same ?

I think the term changed when there started to be a problem with the teen pregnancies. Teen pregnancies being referred to as "single mothers". I think it just started becoming the common thing to say. But .. unwed mother, single mother - same thing in my book. I'm divorced with kids. I say I'm a single mom. Just simpler.

Change hasn't been for good or bad - it just is.

I can't say it has affected me, but I can say that I feel being a "single mother" puts me in such a wide category. A deadbeat mom who has 5 kids by 5 different fathers is called a "single mom", I'm called a "single mom". There's usually a bad label with "single mom" because of the bad ones. That's the only thing.

"unwed" and single mother are exactly the same, only the later doesnt have any implication of marrital status. It is a femminist driven distinction i would believe, because it implies that a woman cannot raise a child on her own. I do not know how effective that is, due to the fact that I hear widowed and divorced with kids quite frequently, and after a certain age, usually around 35+ Unwed mother usually is seen as a more appropriate distinction for some reason. I am all for Single status, I think it is great

The term has never changed. I was born in the 50s and remember people referring to women with children and not married (be it widowed, divorced or never married) as being a single mom/parent. It's not a PC term it is a factual term. Unwed mother is still used in some parts of the country, but being "unwed" can mean widowed, divorced or never married. Widow is still used so is divorced. I don't know what cave you've been living in or if you simply haven't been attentive.

Gosh. Good question. It seems to me the 80's began a new more politically correct world, where people actually began to be more tolerant of others. It happened because we as human beings continue to evolve and grow and learn and with that comes more tolerance, I think. Definitely this is a good change. The children suffered the stigma of being the child of a single mother as much as the mother. I don't see that as being true at all anymore. Families are made up of so many different things today and I think it makes us stronger for it. No it has not effected me ever. It did effect my sister who got pregnant as a teen in the early 70's and it was simply understood that the guy would marry her. It has been a terrible life for everyone involved. If it had happened 10 years later she would have had so many other choices available to her and the knowledge of what those choices were.

Interesting question. Thanks.

Ummmm, interesting! Wasn't the "Unwed Mother" thing more directed to girls that were sent to convents to have their babies in the 50s? I think the term changed when it became more common for girls/women to continue living life instead of being hidden and ridiculed for being pregnant and on her own. I don't know whether it's a good change or bad, because frankly, there are those people that will still look down on "Single Mothers" simply because she is one. Can't we all just get along and realize.... single, unwed, wed, divorced, or widowed....... a mother is still... a MOTHER?

I do not know if it change

When my father was in PWP(parents without partners), he was a single father of five

Nobody asked it he was divorced or widowed

I know, most kids, thought my mom was one that left to find herself, which was popular at the time

I do know, my father go the same reaction as I did

When they ask how long has my husband and I be separated, I said we are not, he died

Single parents, were divorced or Widowed, even unwed when I was a child

I think unwed, lost the bad title in the 1980"s

Single parents are not unwed parents

A lot of single parents, are mothers and fathers of divorced or widow/er.

I do know, that, when I was a child, most people assumed that single parents were divorced, and today, people assumed the same thing. I do think never married a bit more common after divorced.

Al terms including Unwed mother are still used. Un wed means never happened thats all. Dont forget terms like Single Father. Widower etc.

Today many "single mothers" choose to become mothers without marrying. Some are even artificially inseminated. There was an article in parents magazine last month about explaining to your child that he does have a daddy in his family (it was about explaining to a child that he was not conceived naturally) and that families and family roles are changing. I think we will see much more of this as time goes on. Years ago it was unheard of to be pregnant and not be married. I'm guessing much of this had to do with marriage equaling financial stability because most women stayed home while men were the breadwinners. If you were pregnant and not married, society basically considered you doomed. Also, the main job of women was to marry and have a family. Who was going to marry you with an illegitamate child? I think now that women are more in charge of their own futures, many have changed the way they feel about this. Personally, I give a lot of credit to single mothers- it is hard work raising a baby. I know I could not do it without my husband. Also, as a teacher, I feel children who grow up in 2 parent home have a lot more stability and confidence. I'm not saying that children who grow up in single parent homes are not stable/confident, but I really think the support of 2 parents helps. When 1 person is trying to do the job of 2 people, something gets lost.

I think the term changed because being a single parent is more acceptable now where before it wasn't.

Nope! a single mom isi amomwho has been married at some point and through death or divorce is now in a state of 'singlehood" ... an unwed mom, is just that... amother who has not been married. ♥