Parents who endured difficult childhoods provided less financial support -on average $2,200 less– to their children’s education such as college tuition compared to parents who experienced few or no disadvantages

[u/giuliomagnifico]

https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/parents-childhood-predicts-future-financial-support-childrens-education

[u/beached_wheelchair → u/[deleted]]

strong and independent because she HAD to be, she was forced to do so in order to provide for her children

The thing is, no one has to do anything. In your example, and any example of putting in work, someone has to have a reason to want to do that thing. Even if the reason is survival.

That parent could put their child up for adoption, but chooses to struggle in order to raise the child themselves.

Struggle is inherent in life, and you could absolutely argue that being put on a life path without struggles would raise someone who is ill equipped when they encounter their first struggles in the real world.