I was surprised to learn that today, up to a third of families in the United States are headed by a single parent. (https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/family-vie/single-parenting-challenges-rewards/) Additionally, the effects on social skills, behavior, and academic skills can potentially be affected by having a home single parent. (http://www.livestrong.com/article/83670-effects-single-parent-home-childs/) Overall, I found that my two friends' interviews brought out similarities in their concerns about being a good parent and the differences. of how they prepared for the arrival of the