Single Mother Resources
Single Parenting Article
Recipe For Successful Single Parenting
Karlie BestlerMost people don't plan on being single parents. There are a small percentage of women who are making it a choice to be a single mother, but that is not the typical scenario. The truth is that if you are single parent, you most likely got there through either divorce or the death of a spouse. The shock of these situations may make it difficult to get a foothold on successful single parenting, but not impossible.
Ingredients For Successful Single Parenting
*A dependable income
*Multi-tasking skills
*Patience
*Community and family support
*Faith in yourself
A Dependable Income
Raising a family takes money. Many women struggle to make ends meet when they are single mothers, even when they work. Whether the income comes from child support payments, a steady job, a business, renting a room in your house, or even family support doesn't matter. Children take an enormous amount of financial resources to nurture and raise. From the minute they are using diapers to the day they are asking for money for school trips and special outfits, children are expensive. The best way to meet that challenge is to have a dependable income.
Multi-Tasking Skills
There is no doubt about it. If you are a single parent, whether you have an infant or a teen-ager in the home, multi-tasking is a must. You might be called upon to chauffer the kids to and from daycare or school, arrange their lunches and medicines, set up backup pickups in case school lets out early or the child gets sick, and then go to your job.
Patience
It takes a lot of patience to raise children. It's amazing how little appreciation a single parent gets. Single parenting is a full-time job with no pay and the benefits show only after years of service. The children may sometimes also become exasperated with the difficulty of the situation at times. Have patience with them and with yourself. Successful single parenting calls for you to set an example that at times may not seem possible, but you will have to do it anyway.
Community And Family Support
When the single mother is not physically present with her children, they are on her mind. This can become emotionally challenging. In a situation where the single mother needs help because something happened and the children need picked up before the mother is able to reach them, how does she get the children home? This is where the support of family and community is very important. Family support can also offer the caregiver a much needed break so she can have some time for herself. For successful single parenting, the old saying is true - it takes a village to raise a child.
Faith In Yourself
There comes a time in every single parent's life where they feel like they've failed as a single parent. Single parenting is tough! Have faith in yourself. As you learn to overcome obstacles and stop comparing your situation to that of other traditional families, you may find that your own lifestyle is just fine.
Single Parenting In The News
Glenn Jeffrey: Want to help our children? Be a mentor. - Minneapolis Star Tribune
Glenn Jeffrey: Want to help our children? Be a mentor. Minneapolis Star Tribune While many single parents do a heroic job of parenting their children, and while a number of these children, like President Obama, succeed at the highest ... |
Jennifer Aniston Backs Off of Her Single Parenthood Comments - FOXNews
 FOXNews | Jennifer Aniston Backs Off of Her Single Parenthood Comments FOXNews A CBS poll conducted last year showed that the children of single and/or unmarried parents were impacted significantly harder by the economic recession. ... Jennifer Aniston Not 'Destructive,' Say Parenting Experts Bill O'Reilly Says Single Parents Are Destructive to Society Bill O'Reilly attacks Jennifer Aniston: 'She's diminishing the role of the dad' |
Interpretation of FMLA expands protection for non-traditional families - Contractor Mag
Interpretation of FMLA expands protection for non-traditional families Contractor Mag As the interpretation makes clear, an uncle who is caring for his young niece and nephew when their single parent is called to active military duty may ... |