Balance is indeed the problem. With "do your own thing" and "grab the gusto" and no-fault divorce it's hard to do.
The problem for the single parent is juggling time and energy. If there is extended family to help take up the slack, that's one thing. Doing it on your own, either the job or the kid is going to get short-changed somewhere down the line.
If someone looks on raising children as putting their lives on hold, maybe they should consider not having kids. Then all their time and energy can go where their heart really is, into their career.
Skeptic, no one knows better than me how much it costs to live these days but there are a lot of people who opt for a simpler life-style so one of them can stay home, at least for the first 5 years. They then work part time. It isn't easy but people do it.

troll