Oh, No You Didn't

2. "How do you afford being a single parent?"

The answer? With a job, most likely. "I almost fell over when my neighbor asked how I can afford a nice townhouse and SUV as a single mom," says working mom *Lorraine. And she's not the only one doing the 9-to-5 thing. Recent census numbers show that half of all custodial single mothers work full-time year-round. That number jumps to 80% when you factor in part-time working single moms with custody. "How a woman spends her own income after her children's needs are met shouldn't come under scrutiny," says Carolyn Edgar, a New York City lawyer, writer and single mom. "In fact, the vast majority of single mothers are kicking butt in the workforce and don't receive government assistance." No matter how a single mom pays for her expenses, inquiring for specifics on how she does it is over the line. You wouldn't ask how a multi-income family affords their lifestyle, right?

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