Basing on data of the third wave “Generation and Gender survey” (GGS), author analyzes characteristics of single-parent families’ life, structure of single-parent families, their welfare and well-being, possibilities to combine work and family. Most of single-parent families consist of mother and her minor children. Economic activity of lonely mothers is tense, but only one third of lonely mothers has opportunity to combine work and family life. Despite high economic activity, lonely mothers estimate often their well-being and living conditions as bad.