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Parenthood is not a simple stroll in the park. Similar to a farmer who nourishes a seed to become a full tree or plant, the mother and father nurtures a child to become a responsible adult someday. However, sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances which push an individual to become a single parent. At this stage, the individual takes on the role of both the mother and father in rearing a child. The role is doubled, and so are the challenges.
Below are a
few tips on how to live through single parenthood.
1. Have a good support system:
Being a mom
or a dad per se is difficult. What more if you have to take up a double-role of
being both. Having a good support system of family and friends whom you can
trust does not only provide a single parent some moral support, but can also
serve as an extended pair of arms and legs whenever the single parent has so
much tasks in his/her hand.
2. Make and Find time for Yourself:
Too often
single parents are very much occupied with work and raising their kids, that
they have less time for themselves. Setting up some personal “me-time” allows
the single parent to rest and recharge – thus feeling less burnt out. A single
parent can also learn new skills aside from the work he/she has been used to.
This would allow him/her to not only have time for him/herself, but also to
improve him/herself.
3. Always be Prepared:
A bottle of
water, some snacks, an extra pair of clothes, some tissue or napkin, hand
sanitizer or alcohol, a small toy or book to keep the little ones busy. With kids
around, being prepared is always a must for parents. But by being a single
parent, being prepared becomes a sole responsibility. It is important that
whenever you and your child leave home, the “essential stuff” (i.e. the items
listed in the first statement) is always within reach.
4. Maintain a Positive Attitude:
Having the
task to juggle work, paying the bills, taking care of the home, and solely raising
a child can become overwhelming and can sometimes stress out any single parent.
It is always important to have a positive attitude if you’re a single parent. When things get out of hand, a single parent
can maintain a journal just to have an outlet to vent out all the negative
feelings. Children learn from their
parents. And we want our kids to grow up having an optimistic “can-do” mindset.
5. Live Within Your Means:
Part of
being a single parent is handling financial matters on your own, whether it is paying
the bills at home or shouldering your child’s education. It is an important for
any single parent to learn the necessary budgeting skills, spending wisely, as
well as making sound financial decisions to save for the future.
6. Spend Quality Time With Your Kid(s):
This is one,
if not the most, important part of this list. Spending quality time with your
son or daughter does not only meet the child’s need for attention, but it
allows the single parent to have some meaningful interaction. This meaningful
interaction would allow the single parent to learn more about his/her child and
sometimes, even about him/herself. Quality time need not always be expensive
and extravagant. A good chitchat over dinner, or some weekend at the movies or
arcade, or picnic at the park are good examples.
To
summarize, single parenthood is definitely not for the faint of heart or those
who fear responsibility. A single parent should be able to have the compassion
and tenderness of a mother, and combine it with the steadfastness and the
discipline skills of a father. But the rewards have always been great. Being
able to see your child grow up successfully and knowing in your heart that you
were able to do it on your own, is a reward any single parent can be truly proud
of.
Special
Note:
The author
of this article is a single parent to an 8-year old boy. The article includes the author’s personal insights and take on surviving
(and thriving) as a single parent.
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