Here are some facts about single motherhood:
• About 4 out 10 of children were born to unwed mothers. Nearly two-thirds are born to mothers under the age of 30.*
• Of all single-parent families in the U.S., single mothers make up the majority.*
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, out of about 12 million single parent families in 2014, more than 80 percent were headed by single mothers. Today 1 in 4 children under the age of 18 — a total of about 17.4 million — is being raised without a father and nearly half (45%) live below the poverty line.**
The average cost of raising a child born in 2013 up until age 18 for a middle-income family in the U.S. is approximately $245,340 (or $304,480, adjusted for projected inflation), according to the latest annual "Cost of Raising A Child" report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
And that means selling lots of cups of coffee. There is little difference between Courtney Campbell wearing a bikini in a coffee stand or Sandra Bullock wearing less than a bikini in the 2014 movie “The Proposal.”
There aren’t many flexible job opportunities available for the great majority of single mothers. A few months ago, Courtney posted a meme on her Facebook page that says: Before you start to judge me, step into my shoes and walk the life I’m living and if you get as far as I am, just maybe you will see how strong I really am.
The fact that Courtney Campbell struck out on her own and dared to be an entrepreneur to support herself and her family attests to her strength and courage, and that is how she should be remembered.
Full Disclosure: I have not been hired as a PR consultant by Ms. Campbell’s family. Courtney Campbell was friends with my oldest daughter Katie. They grew up in the Queen Anne area of Seattle and hung out together.
*Data derived from Single Mothers Guide Statistics
https://singlemotherguide.com/single-mother-statistics/
**US Census Bureau America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2011 – Table FG10. Family Groups: 2011, United States Census Bureau, retrieved 8 November 2012