Mrs. Cone has lived with her best friend, Ms. Lawrence, since they graduated from college together. They both dated men throughout their lives but were never married. Ms. Cone has a teenage daughter who was raised in their household.
(A) Single-parent family
(B) Nuclear family
(C) Blended family
(D) Extended family
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is (A) Single-parent family.
In this scenario, Mrs. Cone is a single mother raising her daughter. While she lives with her best friend, Ms. Lawrence, the key point is that Mrs. Cone is the mother of a teenage daughter and appears to be the primary caregiver in the household. The fact that both women have dated men in the past but were never married does not change the fact that Mrs. Cone is the single parent in this situation.
A single-parent family is one where a single individual (in this case, Mrs. Cone) is the primary caregiver of one or more children. The term doesn’t require the absence of another adult in the home; it simply indicates that one parent is primarily responsible for raising the children. Although Ms. Lawrence may help with the child’s upbringing, the family structure is still considered single-parent since the biological mother is responsible for the child’s care and upbringing.
Other options like nuclear family, blended family, and extended family don’t fit this situation. A nuclear family consists of two parents (typically a mother and father) living with their children. A blended family is formed when one or both parents bring children from previous relationships into a new family. An extended family includes other relatives such as grandparents, uncles, aunts, or cousins, living together or in close proximity.
Thus, the family dynamic here is best described as a single-parent family, where Mrs. Cone, the mother, is the primary caregiver for her daughter.