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6 Strategies for Single Mom Success

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Take a look at your existing debts, and set specific, achievable goals for eliminating them. Create a budget, and take the time to learn about long-term investment options like college and retirement funds. Start small; no one becomes a millionaire overnight. As your financial situation improves, you will feel less stressed, and your children will pick up on this. A daily routine is extremely helpful for keeping yourself calm and balanced, and especially helpful for your kids.

Divorce and Single Parenting

Schedule your meals, homework time, family time, and bedtime. That way, both you and your kids know what to expect on a given day, helping you all stay organized. Routine also helps reduce some of the stress on your kids, which will ease your stress by making them feel secure in their environment. Simplifying your life will help keep both you and your kids from feeling overwhelmed.

This may mean going to the park around the block instead of the movies in the next town over or cooking meals in bulk each week instead of from scratch every night. Between work, chores, school, and events, it can seem impossible to squeeze in enough time to just talk with your kids. Quality time should be a part of your daily routine — if not daily then definitely make it a weekly occurrence. Spending time together — whether talking or doing an activity — helps build your relationship and allows you both to relax.

#1 Assemble a Support Team

This tip is honestly for anyone, because everyone should leave their work at work. Your children are excited to see you, and if you let your stress of work take over your world, then you aren't really with them. Work has so many stresses of it's own, and the best way to handle these competing stresses is to give them their own home.

I found that I was almost a different person at work sometimes, and over time I saw that as a good thing. Make sure to spend special time with your child. I mentioned this a little before, but it's so important. Being home doesn't mean you're spending time with your child. If I'm on the couch on my phone or computer, my daughter doesn't consider that playing with her or spending time.

I need to leave my comfort zone to enter her world. I don't know about other parents, but I'm not always great at sitting in one place playing dolls for two hours like my daughter is. So what I often did was play with her as long as I could, then do one of the chores I needed to do and come back.

Another great tip I found that helped was that I started letting my daughter help me with chores. She loves helping me make dinner, so I'd let her do some of the easier tasks.

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I started realizing she just loved to help me and be with me no matter what we were doing. So if I was cleaning the kitchen, she'd wipe a table or sweep because she loves it. She always knew to count on the fact that on that day, I was totally hers and we'd do anything she wanted. Following her around often reminded me to stop and smell the roses as she did. Parenthood is a commitment, and sometimes we aren't ready for the challenges that may come with that. The trick to being a good parent though is stepping up and doing what you have to do to give your child an amazing childhood and keeping a roof over their heads.

Sometimes I lose my temper, and sometimes I'm burnt out beyond all reason, but the best thing is that my daughter still is there excitedly wrapping her arms around me. Your child will forgive tiredness, and even a bad attitude, but my above tips should at least help you balance your own life and wellness along with your child's. If you have any questions, comments, or would like to add a few tips, please feel free to comment below! Sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites. Thanks for this article , I am not single but have all the responsibilities of a single working mother.

Just finding some things to help me out. After nine years of marriage, my husband and I moved on. That left me to raise my daughter alone. It was a circuitous route we took and times. But we both learned. Thank you so much Ashlee! I appreciate the support, and knowing that you enjoyed the article is making my heart fill with pride! Whether the single parent household is headed by a mother, father, or a grandparent, raising children alone is an enormous task.

Why should we care? Because the statistics tell us that most of us will live in, know of or be involved with a single parent family at some point.

5 Ways to Balance Parenthood and Being a Single Mom.
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5 Ways to Balance Being a Single Parent and Working Full Time.
#2 Ask for Help?

Since , the number of children living in a single parent family has doubled. These children are not doomed to failure.

The following strategies are offered to the single parent who is determined to raise a good kid despite the myths of doom and gloom. Start with a positive attitude and focus on the benefits of single parenting, such as less conflict and tension in the home. Many single parents treasure their newfound autonomy and independence and feel hopeful about the future.

Single parents and two parent households often make the mistake of allowing children to become equal partners or peers, and too many children are running the show. This loads to serious individual and family problems. Use consistent discipline that provides clear expectations and guidelines for behavior and rely on natural and logical consequences. Learn to say, "I love you enough to say NO to you. It is extremely important to manage time wisely and to ask for help when necessary. Assign children appropriate chores and tasks. Arrange car pools when possible, and ask other parents for help when needed.

My children would not have been able to continue in club soccer were it not for the kindness of other parents providing rides to practices and games. No matter how loving and competent you are, you are still only one person and you are doing a job most agree Is meant for two people.

Do not allow your children to manipulate you by making you feel guilty about the situation. Remind children that you are a team and have to work together.