Being a parent is hard! Being responsible for the development, protection, growth, health and care of a child is challenging and sometimes overwhelming. From sun up until sun down well beyond, day after day, year after year, raising a child is a full-time job that never offers a break. Rewarding, of course, difficult, hell yes, it is. Single parents face all the challenges and difficulties of any parent, but they must face them without the benefit of a partner, a co-parent to help carry some of the burdens. Single-parent homes are not a new phenomenon; they are not exclusive to any culture and are increasing in number. (“Single-Parent Families”) Single parents by default have to do the work of two people; this requires them to be consistent, conscientious and creative. Social media can offer a helping hand to single parents. (Caron)(Clemente, Jude. Rise of Single Parent Households)Single parent families occur for many and varied reasons. Including unwanted pregnancies, divorce, death and by choice. (“Single-Parent Families”) Single-parent families have increased steadily over the decades, and currently 30% of U.S. families are single-parent families. (“Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2007”) This means that single parents raise nearly 22 million children in the United States. ("Custodial mothers and fathers and child support: 2007") A female parent is the head of a single-parent family in 78% of cases. (“Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Child Support: 2007”) Male parents lead single-parent families 22% of the time. ("Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Child Support: 2007") While the traditional notion of single mothers raising children alone... half of the document... article from the Business Economics and Statistics Administration US CENSUS BUREAU. Custodial mothers and fathers and child support: 2007. 2009. Print. .Graphic credits:acbanews, . Social media logos. Nd graphics. np Web. 17 April 2014. Clemente, Jude. Increase in single-parent families. Nd Graphic. np Web. 16 April 2014. eMarketer, . US social network users 2008-2014. Nd Graphic. np Web. April 17 2014. .