Sound Off: Bonnie's Interview With Jason Mesnick & Molly Malaney

[The Bonnie Hunt Show]

Bonnie interviews Jason and Molly on Monday. After you watch it, share your thoughts.

[Patrice LaSusa]

BOGUS NEW ORGANIZATION......are you or aren't you a single parent? As a real single parent, I resent using the term so loosely and to your benefit!

[Bethany Johnson]

This can be a rather hard thing to say if one is truly a "single" parent or not. What is the definition of "single parent"? Are you a single parent if the other parent is still involved or are you only a single parent if the other parent is not in the picture? I have many friends who are in the same situation as Jason and they do refer to themselves as a single parent. Then I have some who say they are not a single parent but a co-parent. Guess the only way to answer this is to get the politically correct definition of "single parent."

[Christy]

As founder of National Stepfamily Day, A single parent is one that is not married or remarried. SO Jason and his ex-wife are both still single parents raising thier son.

[Patricia Glas]

I read the comment from Christy regarding the definitiion of a "single parent". I have always considered a single parent to be one that has no contact with the other biological parent because they have chosen to stay out of the picture or they are dead. In other words, one parent only. And I think that most people think of it that way. I raised my daughter alone after my divorce, but I didn't consider myself a single parent. My daughter had a father, and he had joint custody. I disagree with your statement that Jason and his ex-wife are both single parents!

[Christy]

If Jason is NOT married or remarried...isn't he a single father to his son? it's okay to disagree. I understand your view point. Single parent doesn't need the other parent to fall off the face of the earth to be considered a single parent. Single--meaning he isn't remarried.

I respect your point of View.

[Terry Lambert]

I feel the distinction is between "Single Parent" and a "parent who is single". My issue is when people use the term "Single Parent" to garner a sympathetic response. Specificaly, when there realy are two parents sharing the responsibilites as equal as possible but who no longer share the same residence.
Single parent means that they do not have the other parent to assist in any form.

[Christy]

Reply by Sherri Adams 16 minutes ago
Just to clairfy for everyone out there, Here is the definition of being a single parent: somebody who raises child alone: a parent who brings up a child or children alone, usually because he or she is unmarried, widowed, or divorced
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861734979/single_parent.html

or here is another one: A single parent (also lone parent and sole parent) is a parent who cares for one or more children without the assistance of another parent "in the home".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_parent

This being said, Jason AND his Ex-Wife are considered SINGLE PARENTS!

[Christy]

"IN THE HOME"

[Johnboy85]

Hi Christy:

I agree with you that techinally both Jason and his ex-wife are single parents. However, I think why people are getting upset is that ABC sure wanted it to look like what most people think of as a single parent (i.e. raising the child on his own, the other parent just left, poor Jason). I remember these comments from the first show of the season. They wanted it to be so much like Sleepless in Seattle. I guess that the term "sole parent" needs to be used more often.

[Jane]

"in the home" is from wikipedia.

Wikipedia is NOT an authority for definitions. Anyone can edit anything into the entries on that site. Many people with skewed agendas, put incorrect and biased "info" into

Look at the actual encarta definition that you cite which contradicts your notion of single parenthood.

[Jane]

Christy, That first definition from encarta CONTRADICTS how you've been describing "single parent."

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"somebody who raises child alone: a parent who brings up a child or children alone, usually because he or she is unmarried, widowed, or divorced"
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Jason is NOT raising or bringing up a child ALONE. His ex-wife is also raising and bringing up their child.

Access Hollywood showed their divorce decree. Jason and his ex-wife share custody equally. Furthermore, Jason's ex pays him $500 a month in child support. (The ex makes more income than Jason.)

According to the encarta definition, being a parent who is unmarried or divorced is NOT enough to be termed a "single parent." To qualify as a single parent, they must be raising and bringing up the child ALONE. That's the key part of the definition.

wikipedia - anyone can edit that. anyone who has an agenda for defining what a "single parent" is. Before reading this Bachelor drama, I didn't know that was possible, but I guess it is.

[Johnboy85]

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | Date: 2009 | © The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009,

sin·gle par·ent : n. a person bringing up a child or children without a partner.

part·ner (pärtnr): n.One that is united or associated with another or others in an activity or a sphere of common interest

So technically, I guess that as long a one of the child's parents/gaurdian is raising a child or children without any help from anybody, they are a considered a "single parent". However, according to these definations, that would mean, no day care, no other family members, no roommates, step parents, boyfreinds, girlfriends, etc. Now, I agree that this is so silly and a new term like sole parent should be created. The words single and parent mean something totally different individually, then when you put them together, the definition changes.