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Sylvia Chant gave us a discussion of the differences between the economic and social

welfare of female-headed and male-headed families in low-income communities on

Queretaro, Mexico. This discussion reveals two important factors. Firstly, female-headedfamilies are more desirable in economic welfare, household management and authority

patterns than male-headed families. Secondly, single-parent structures are often the

outcome of a deliberate and positive choice by low-income women to make them freefrom the restricting aspects.

Despite some major structural constraints such as educating children, struggling forsurvivals etc; the economic and social potential of female-headed families often fare

better than male-headed nuclear households. Because children of female headed families

generally do part-time jobs for further studies & also for their survivals. This economic

cooperation by children has a great impact on economy & also made socialize thechildren.

Sylvia thought that in almost all urban areas, male-headed family structures are

predominant. However, in Latin America and the Caribbean, there are also significantnumbers of female-headed households. The proportions of female-headed households

vary from one place to another for some reasons. Sylvia thought that the existence of themother-child household is the result of male instigation. Furthermore, people think that a

family without a man is socially & economically worse off and lagging behind.

He made a survey in 244 low-income households of Queretaro, to observe how

female-headed households survive in comparison with male-headed households and to

clarify the various reasons (such as, female initiative) of forming single-parent units.

WAGE OF THE HOUSEHOLD HEAD

Within the total sample of 244 households, there were 167 male-headed nuclearfamilies and twenty-two female-headed, single-parent units. The disadvantage of single-parent households is that women in Mexico earn less than men. But Sylvia thought that

the family heads wage is not only the indicator of economic well-being, contributions of

other household members are also important. In nuclear households, only the male headsearn wages. But in single-parent families, basically in female-headed families, children

provide up one-third of the weekly household budget.

SPENDING PATTERNS WITHIN HOUSEHOLDS

People think that secondary poverty remains in female-headed households because

the unequal allocation of economic resources often means that women and children are

underfed or undernourished. But Sylvia showed that male heads used 50 percent of theirwages for their personal use. Alternatively, female heads contributed all their wages to

family welfare & they also could plan their budgets more efficiently than the women

lived with volatile husbands.

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HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT

In nuclear families we can see a strict sexual division of labor, females are generally

full-time housewives. Where as in single-parent structures, women are generallyemployed. It has a major implication for running the households.

In single-parent families, women have to take the both role of wage-earner as well ashousewife. It means, house-works may not get done so efficiently. However, this problem

is often solved in two ways. Firstly, housework is shared by the children and secondly,

women begin the house-works when they return home from their jobs.

THE SOCIALIZATION OF CHILDREN

The most important role of female-headed, single-parent households is socializing

the children. Both boy and girl children actively participate in sharing the task of runningthe household, this makes the children socialized.

Socialization is originated in family because it is the carrier and transmitter of values,

habits, opinions and attitudes. So authority patterns of the families are important. Whichhusbands are responsible towards their spouses, generally they saw their own fathers treat

their mothers badly and so they swore not to treat their own wives in a similar fashion.And in female-headed families, less discrimination shows towards female children; they

are given opportunities equal to those of boys. In fact, female family heads understand

the importance of girls education. So children of these families appear to be mature andresponsible, probably as a result of early participation in household welfare.

REASONS OF FORMING SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES

In one case, man had left home to establish a new family with another woman. Inother case, the man had left in search of work and had never returned. Some became

widows and others had taken the initiative to leave their husbands when they could no

longer cope with a situation of violence, infidelity or a lack of financial commitment. Inthese cases women had to move out of their husbands house & find alternative

accommodation for themselves & their children.

Sylvia Chant thus made differences between the economic and social welfare of

female-headed and male-headed families in low-income communities on Queretaro.

According to him, female-headed families are economically more efficient and

manageable than male-headed families.