Whatever the circumstances may be, you are raising your child or children alone. What’s next? What changes when you are a single parent versus a dual parent household? Good news! You can be an excellent single parent. You may be a bit busier than the other parents and you may have to learn time management skills, but you can do it and you can raise outstanding young adults.
Community
It has been said many times before that it takes a village or a community to raise a child. I believe that this is true. No matter if you are married, in a relationship or single, it takes more than one person to raise a child successfully. Who else is in your life that is a part of your child’s life? Teachers, community leaders, religious figures, family, friends or relationship partners? In addition to providing positive influence for your children, these individuals can also serve as a support structure for you as a parent. After all, most of us need help every once in a while. If you have not surrounded yourself with a group of positive individuals to support you as a parent and to support your child’s development, begin to reach out to the individuals mentioned to build a network.
Time Management
When you are a single parent, there is no one in your household to watch the baby or your child while you take a shower, why you run to the grocery store or to help when one of your children are sick. So what do you do? What about your free time- what free time? Back to the concept of building a community, having help will help you. If money is an issue, many women use babysitting co-ops in their neighbourhoods or with the churches. Just because you are a single parent does not mean that you don’t deserve a few moments to yourself every once in a while.
In addition to help, you also need to master the concept of the household schedule. This is especially important if you have active children and you are a working parent. You need to master planning ahead, having contingency plans and working on projects whenever you have time. Single parents are often juggling many more balls in the air than a dual parent household. But if you manage your time well, you can still complete everything that you need to, you can be at your children’s functions, you can work and you can manage to have free time. It is all about the schedule.
So if you are a veteran single parent or are new to the scene, you must first ask for help. You will be surprised how many other single parents there are who are also willing to chip in with a hand. Then, you must become the master of time management. Don’t worry; you can do it and you can do it well!