About a month ago, a woman caused outrage after not leaving a tip on a $140 restaurant tab, and instead writing, "Single mom, sorry" in place of the tip. The bill was then posted online to Reddit where it sparked nearly 3,000 comments. While there's question to the legitimacy of the receipt, and few would argue that being a single parent is a valid reason to stiff someone, it does pose an interesting question: should single parents receive special treatment? A single mom friend of mine pointed out that many attractions and organizations offer family rates that typically include two adults and two children, but not single-parent family rates. She and her boyfriend have actually masqueraded as a "complete" family in order to access better rates at places like leisure centres and amusement parks. When she was single, she found it extremely frustrating. "It's like you're being punished for your relationship not working out!" she says. "In this day and age, it feels completely archaic. I think coming out with single parent rates presents a real opportunity for businesses to attract loyal customers." So perhaps it's not a matter of special treatment for single parents, but rather equal treatment to dual-parent families.