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Showing posts with label single parents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label single parents. Show all posts

Friday, May 29, 2009

Single Parenting

myths and facts and truths about single parenting and single parent families.

Single parents and their children often have to face stigma, violence and social problems based on myths, stereotypes, half-truths and prejudices. Sometimes, the taunts can be subtle and leave subconscious effects. The best approach is to confront them and understand what is true and what is not. Some of the myths have been cross-examined

Myth: Since culturally, traditional nuclear families are the norm and predominant, single parenting is an aberration and single parents are often left lonely and isolated.

Fact: Recently, single parent families have shown a sharp rise. In U.S. alone, about 59 percent of American children have lived in a single-parent home at least once during their minor years and over 16 million children currently live in single-parent homes. They are often ‘bi-nuclear’ families, where despite divorces and re-marriages, both the parents are actively involved in parenting and offer their children two separate homes

Myth: Children from single-parent families have emotional and behavior problems and do poorly in school.
Fact: These conclusions are completely false and untainted researches by other scholars such as that of Richards and Smiege, 1993 are generally ignored. The outcomes of the oft-quoted 10-year study of Judith S. Wallerstein cannot be trusted as it started with subjects with problems such as from ones with psychological disorders or juvenile delinquents on the first hand. Children of single parents can be as healthy and emotionally secure as those from traditional families.

Myth: Single-parent families mean ‘broken homes’.
Fact: Parents who chose divorce or not marrying as a way of their life doe not necessarily mean that they are trying to make a broken home work. Many times, it turns out to be the healthiest choice to give children a peaceful and stable home environment. Positive outcomes in single-parent families are not uncommon and single parents are often more independent and multi-tasking and their children actually learn to handle greater responsibility.

The outcome of single parent families actually depends on social network and support to the family and good communication within the family. Children of divorcees can be as healthy and well-settled as other kids while they even enjoy greater stability and happiness in their marriages, as they are more adjusting and concentrate more on keeping their families intact and happy.

Myth: Being brought up in single-parent families is detrimental to children’s self-esteem.
Fact: Children’s self-esteem is linked mostly to the income level of the family. Since single-parent families also have single income coming in, they are often low-income households too and thus, children's self-esteem tend to be lower too, similar to children of low-income two-parent homes. Parents can teach resilience and self-esteem skills to their children by being a model to them, boosting their self-respect and self-nurturance and make them realize that their possessions do not determine what they are.

Myth: Families need to be self-sufficient, while single parent families aren’t.
Fact: The emphasis on self-sufficiency often produces unnecessary shame and guilt in parents who are emotionally and financially challenged, including the single parents. One has to learn to be interdependent, give and receive; taking our own responsibilities and asking for support and engaging even professional help, when needed. Parents should not become too dependent on children for social and psychological support but rather join support group for single parents as their social outlet and fun and source for emotional and child care support. Families should also engage in volunteering within the community so that they learn the balance between nurturing and being nurtured and each family member may become more mature and independent.


Source: iloveindia

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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Single parent-norm in the future?

Salaam Namaste, a popular Hindi flick released late last-year popularised live-in relationships and also glamourised single parenthood! Many single parents are better educated and are able to support themselves so marriage is no longer a financial prerequisite to parenthood. Under enormous work-pressure families are splitting-up and giving rise to single parenthood.

A study indicates that a single parent raises 20 million kids in the US. Though not so marked in India, the phenomenon is no longer raising eyebrows. Even though the society has accepted it, the Government's social policy has not addressed it. According to Deepti Priya Mehrotra, a political scientist who has done her doctorate on the Women's Movement in India, single mother as a category is not recognized in the census data.


There are two versions of single parenthood reported in India; one set-in by actress Sushmita Sen, who adopted a baby whilst still single and the other, which arises under marital circumstances. J K Rowling, the British author of fabulously successful Harry Potter books, and an ambassador for one-parent families asserts, "people bringing up children single-handedly deserve not condemnation, but congratulation".

Following the footsteps of Sushmita Sen and Raveena Tandon (adopted 2 children ten years back) are the average Indian women, who are enjoying the satisfaction of becoming mothers (something that makes a woman 'complete'), even though many of them remain single. Skipping the 'attachment' of marriage and men, they are opting to become single parents - by adopting a child. The most common argument of a non-believer is that a single parent (woman) would never do justice to the child because of the social dishonor attached to unwed mothers. They are thought of as the 'bottom of the barrel'. The other thing, which stops her, is the fear of her incident death. Who would take care of the child thereafter?

In a situation, where a family has split or at the death of a parent, coping with the problems of a single-income household and finding ways to go-on sans support systems, at first is hard. Key characteristics of single-parent families are the limited resources (especially time, energy, and money) available to them. Single-parent families in today's society have their share of daily struggles and long-term disadvantages. The issues of expensive day care, shortage of quality time with children, balance of work and home duties and economic struggles are among the seemingly endless problems these families must solve.


On the brighter side, India's first case of a surrogate child was conceived of a single father. Amit Banerjee, a 46 yr old divorcee expressed his wishes and now is a proud single father. "In my 25 years of experience, this is the first time a man has come forward with a wish to father a child. This is a trend-setting example of single fatherhood in the country," says his Doctor Ghosh Dastidar.

The country's capital celebrates Annual Adoption week every November and adoption agencies point out that the number of single parents adopting children have increased. Since 1988 there have been just 12-13 single parents who have gone for adoption whereas in the past nine months, there have been three such cases.

The whole concept of a family, is undergoing a massive change, but whether it is the beginning of a revolution or not, is a question that has yet to be answered!!

Source: Pregathi K (oneindia)



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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Effective Discipline for Single Parents

All parents face a variety of challenges when faced with discipline. Single parents, however, face unique challenges when it comes to discipline. Being the sole enforcer of rules and then consequences and discipline can seem daunting and isn't exactly an easy job.

In addition, when you share your kids between two households, disciplinary methods used between the two households often cause confusion of rules and difficulty with discipline. One of the best ways to learn effective discipline strategies is to know the difference between Discipline and Punishment. They are not the same.

According to dictionary.com the definition for Punishment is:

PUNISHMENT: n.

1. A penalty imposed for wrongdoing: "The severity of the punishment must... be in keeping with the kind of obligation which has been violated" (Simone Weil).
2. Rough handling; mistreatment: These old skis have taken a lot of punishment over the years.

And the definition for Discipline is:

DISCIPLINE: n.

1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.
2. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control.

So as you can figure out, punishment is a method a parent uses to teach discipline to a child, so that the child learns to behave properly on their own through self-control. We want to teach our children to actually want to behave properly.

Here are a few examples of ways that this might be accomplished:

Clearly state your expectation. "It's time to go to bed. Turn off the T.V., brush your teeth and hop into bed." If your child does what you ask, reward him with praise (rather than a prize). "You did a great job of getting ready for bed. Thank you for listening so well." Any type of affectionate reward - lots of hugs, kisses, high fives, clapping and pats on the back, help to increase their self esteem and motivate them to do it again. If your child refuses or ignores your request, then a clear warning should be given immediately. "I'm reminding you just this one time to get ready for bed." If the warning is not heeded, then quickly enforce with an appropriate punishment. "There will not be T.V. tomorrow before bed since you chose not to get ready for bed when I asked you to". Then you have to remember to enforce it the next evening, with a gentle reminder of why.

When a child learns that you mean what you say, she will begin to understand how wonderful it can feel to her when she pleases you by listening and following directions, and how it doesn't feel so good when she doesn't. Having your approval and a peaceful loving response will become all the reward your child wants for herself - and that's effective discipline.



Source: Nicole Humphrey (families.com)

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Monday, May 18, 2009

Single Parents 10 Ways To Create A Life Long Relationship With Your Kid, It’s Easy!

I know as a single parent, the days seem to be never ending with so much needing to be done. In the mean time your child is growing up, time is slipping away, here are 10 ways to create lasting memories and develop the relationship with your child.

1. Go to the Library. You can get books, movies and music from the library, there is lots of ideas to be found there.


2. ChildHood Memories. Introduce your child to the things you liked when you were growing up.

3. To Do List. Make a list of the things you want your child to do/be/have before he or she grows up.

4. Ask Your Child add to the above list things your child wants to.

5. Check the Newspaper. I found the weekend guide to be a great resource for free or low cost things to do.

6. Ask Other Parents. Ask them what they do. You could invite your child’s friends and family to an outing or over for an evening of fun at home.

7. Family Volunteer Opportunities. There are so many groups and organizations that would love you and your child to come help out. Check out what is available in your area and try a few. Repeat the one or ones that appeals to you both.

8. Volunteer For A School Field Trip or Party. Check your schedule and plan to take some time to be with your child during the school day. The school is always looking for parent volunteers, so ask what is needed and do what fits for you.

9. Go To Church/Temple/SynagogueCheck a few out until you find a fit. There are many resources available at these places of worship.

10. Special Groups.Look for groups gathering or organizations of people who like to do what you like to do. Lots of hobbyists meet to spend time with other people who like the same things. What a great way to meet new people.


Source: Laura C. Ries (ArticleDashboard.com)



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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Facts About Single Parenting

From the seventies single parents have increased. This is because of the problems in marital life and divorce. There are some couples who do not wed but have a child of their relationship. In such a case at the time of separation the child is left with a single parent. The death of any one of the parent could leave the child with a single parent.

There are certain facts about single parenting that needs be dealt with. It is not easy to single handedly bring up a child. It is a struggle, which would be both with emotions and money. It is necessary to be a role model for your child. This would be helpful so that your child follows your footsteps and does not idealize some body who may not be worth it. Thus, the parent needs to understand and educate the child about certain morals and responsibilities. This is a fact about single parenting.

Another fact about single parenting is that many single parents feel that they might not have bought up their child as a dual parent might have. There would be some kind of guilt in them. To remove this think positive. And you got to teach your child the values of life and face all the difficulties that life may offer.

A single parent has to undergo a lot of stress. This is a fact about single parenting. When both the parents are around the child would be taken care off by any one of them. But single parents need to pay more attention to their Childs growth. You can take the help of somebody to assist you with the task. You can keep the child in with a baby sitter when you go to work.

It is necessary to have a good communication with your child if you are a single parent. This again is a fact about single parenting. Tell your child the do's and don't. This should be done even if the child is angry with you. This would be a basic aspect of his upbringing. A good upbringing comes from teaching the right values at the right time.

It is difficult for a single parent to bring up a child. There are certain classes as well, to teach single parents how to bring up their child effectively. There are even books which can guide you to do the needful. A single parent needs to be strong mentally more than physically to fulfill the desires of the child.

Source: Robert Grazian (Ezine Articles)

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Friday, May 8, 2009

Single parents: How to avoid taking your anger out on your kids

Frustration can abound when you are single parent. There is no one else there to pass the children off to when they'd become difficult or annoying. And every parent knows that children become annoying at times. When you are at the end of your rope as a single parent it to be hard not to take your anger out on your children. However, to keep your household moving forward smoothly, you must learn how to avoid doing this. The following article to give you tips and tricks that will help the single parent keep their cool even when their child does not.

Single Parent Anger Management - Take a Break

Perhaps the best way to deal with anger management as a single parent involves taking a break when emotions are running high. Of course, you cannot pass the child off to another parent to deal with at the time, but you can still give both you and your child breathing room.

Before yelling or speaking out of anger, take a moment to count to ten, leave the room and do some deep breathing, or do some other calming activity. It is good to tell your child that you are too angry to deal with them at the moment and you will discuss the issue later.

Single Parent Anger Management - Give a Hug

When anger overwhelms you, it is hard to focus on the positive. When you feel angry beyone words, remember the mantra, "I still love you." No matter how furious you might be at whatever your child did wrong, give them a hug before talking about it. A hug will difuse the situation and remind them that they are loved no matter what. This may be difficult with older children or teens who resist hugs. Looking them in the eye and telling them you love them no matter what is effective as well.

Single Parent Anger Management - Get Help

While a single parent may not have immediate help to deal with a child who is misbehaving in some way, they can still get assistance with how to avoid taking their anger out on the child. Parenting classes, therapy, anger management counseling can all help. Sometimes, just calling a friend or relative can dampen the anger welling up inside.

Taking your anger out on your child is never acceptable, but it is very understandable. Single parents, who do not have the luxury of sharing the emotional load of difficult parenting times, must find other avenues to diffuse situations before they explode into outright fury.

Source: MelanieM (Bukisa)

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Tips for Positive Single Parenting

Raising a child is undoubtedly one of the most stressful jobs you can have; let alone raising one by yourself.

Single parents are faced with the difficult role of being both mom and dad. Some people find themselves in this situation because of: divorce, death of a spouse, a parent in the military or simply a single person who wants to have a child without a partner.

Positive effects of single parenting


While raising a child alone can prove to be challenging, it can also benefit the child in many ways, as well. Here are some tips for single parents

1. Teach your child independence and responsibility

Children who grow up in single parent homes are likely to take on more of the household tasks and are relied upon to take on extra responsibilities. This can help to encourage and foster maturity at an early age. Encourage independence with positive reinforcement and support.

2. Take advantage of extra bonding time

While having two parents is ideal, many times children are stuck in the middle when mom and dad do not get along. Children of single parent households avoid the stigmatism of arguing parents and tend to form stronger bonds with the existing parent. Take advantage of your extra time together.

3. Enjoy the benefits of a large support system

Many times children who are raised by only one parent are fortunate to have an extended support system. Family members and friends will often chip in to lend a helping hand with daycare, errands and mentoring. Rather than trying to take on the world by yourself, allow your family and friends to help out from time to time.

Source: jackiepanda (Hubpages)

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

5 Single-Parenting Mistakes -- and How to Fix Them

Here are the five most common single-parent missteps and how to resolve them


Mistake No. 1: Trying to compensate for absent parent

The fix: Quit trying! "Single parents often feel guilty that there isn't another parent in the house," says Barry G. Ginsberg, Ph.D., director of The Center of Relationship Enhancement in Doylestown, Pa., and author of 50 Wonderful Ways to Be a Single-Parent Family (New Harbinger, 2003). "It's natural to feel guilty, but you don't have to compensate or take action because of the guilt."

When parents feel guilty, they try to compensate by overdoing it — showering children with toys and gadgets, meting out punishment less often or providing less structure. All of which is a disservice to the child — and to you. "When you feel guilty, you under-parent your kids by giving in to them more often than you should," says James H. Bray, Ph.D., a professor at Baylor College of Medicine and director of Baylor Family Counseling Clinic in Houston. "The vast majority [of children in single-parent households] do just as well academically and socially as children with two parents at home."

Mistake No. 2: Not having a life of your own

The fix: "It's very important that you get your adult needs met," Bray says. "If you don't, you'll be a less effective parent." You need to make time for hobbies, dating, friends and exercise. Otherwise, you may feel frustrated and resentful — emotions that can sap your energy, mentally and physically. To find that elusive time, Bray suggests that you:


> Ask family members, friends and neighbors to spend time with your child

> Form a "babysitting share" with three to four other families. On a Friday night, for example, one family can host all the kids at their home for pizza and movies, while the next Friday, it's another parent's turn, etc. The upshot: You get three to four free nights a month!

> Find a mentoring program. The Big Brothers Big Sisters program is one option, though in many big cities there are long waiting lists for mentors. (Go to www.bbbs.org to find an agency in your area.) So also check out churches or synagogues, many of which offer mentoring programs as well as sports, crafts and other activities for children.

Mistake No. 3: Overscheduling your kids

The fix: Resist the urge. Time management is a lot harder when there's just one of you. Planning soccer, piano, playdates and birthday parties so that they mesh with your work and family schedule is daunting.

"Overscheduling puts pressure on everybody," Bray says. When your child is around age 6 or 7, talk to him about prioritizing. This means explaining to your child the reality of resources (namely money and time) and that, as a family, you have to make choices. For example, tell your child that she can do karate or basketball, and ask her to choose. This will teach her about making responsible choices and give you some valuable family time together.

Mistake No. 4: Using your child as agent with other parent

The fix: Keep them out of your personal problems. Sharing custody can be prickly, especially if the breakup was contentious. Sometimes, Mom and Dad are at such odds that they use the child to make statements to one another. Big mistake. "Do not have your children act in coalition with you," Ginsberg advises. "They may have enough trouble [from the breakup] already, and it's not fair to burden them. Parents need to work out a plan.

" Although you and your co-parent may have different values (there's a reason you broke up, right?), you must find a way to work together for the sake of your child. If necessary, seek help from a third party such as a mediator or counselor. "Chances are you won't be as angry and hurt, and you'll be able to build a working relationship with the other parent," Ginsberg says. For instance, if getting homework done at Dad's house seems to be a mission impossible, get the school involved. Dad will likely be more open to the recommendations of your child's teacher or principal than he is to yours.

Mistake No. 5: Involving kids in too many adult relationships

The fix: Delay introductions. If you go through a series of romantic relationships and introduce your child to each partner, it's going to be difficult on the kid. "Wait until you know there's a possibility of a long-term relationship" before making the introduction, Bray cautions. "If you involve them in too many adult relationships, they will go through multiple losses.

" Also remember that you are your child's model for adult conduct. If you have one-night stands or go through a series of partners in a short time, and your child knows all of this is happening, you're essentially telling him it's acceptable. "Whatever you do in front of your children, gives them the message that this is proper behavior," Bray says.

Source: Revolution Health Group

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The Challenges of Single Parenting

One of the greatest challenges for us as parents is to be loving role-models for our children, showing our children through our behavior how to take personal responsibility for their own feelings and needs. Our children need to learn from our role-modeling how to nurture themselves within and how to create a sense of safety in the world. In families where both a mother and father are present, both parents can participate in nurturing the child emotionally and taking care of the child in the world, and both parents can role-model what it looks like to do this for themselves.

Single parents have a far greater challenge - they have to be both mother and father to the child. Mothering energy is that energy that nurtures while fathering energy is that energy that protects in the world - that is, earning money, setting boundaries with others, speaking up for oneself. While our society often defines women as the nurturers and men as the protectors, both men and women are capable of both nurturing and protecting in the world.

In order for a single parent to successfully be both mother and father, he or she must have learned how to be both mother and father to the Child within. In other words, we have to have learned how to nurture our own Inner Child - how to take responsibility for our own fears, pain, anger, hurt, and disappointment, and how to take care of our Inner Child in the world - earn money, set boundaries, and so on. There is no way to successfully teach our children these skills until we are doing them ourselves, which means that each of us needs to be in a process of learning how to do this

We have developed a process that teaches us how to care for and nurture ourselves, while also loving others. This process, called Inner Bonding, teaches us how to become a loving Adult to our own Inner Child and to our actual children. Inner Bonding is a six-step psychospiritual process that can be learned and practiced daily, and that leads to the development of a spiritually-connected loving inner Adult.

Inner Bonding defines the Inner Child as our core self, who we are when we are born - our natural creativity, intuition, playfulness, imagination, talents, feelings, and ability to love. Our Child is our inner experience. Our Adult is everything we learn after we are born. It is our thoughts, beliefs, and ability to take action. We start learning how to be an Adult from the moment we are born through watching our parents and other caregivers. The Adult we learn to be is a child-adult, the part of us that learned many fears and false beliefs and learned addictive ways, such as using substances, TV, spending, anger, or compliance to avoid pain. A true loving Adult is that part of us that is spiritually connected to a Higher Source of truth and love and is able to bring that truth and love down into the Child and share it with others. The adult many of us operate from most of the time is really a wounded child masquerading as an adult. It is our unhealed wounded self that causes us problems with ourselves and our children. Inner Bonding is a process for healing the wounded self and developing a spiritually-connected loving Adult.

In Inner Bonding, there are only two possible intents at any given moment: the intent to learn about love and the intent to protect against and avoid pain. The intent to learn says that we want to learn about our own pain in order to understand what we need to do to be loving to our Inner Child and others; The intent to protect says that we want to avoid experiencing our pain at all cost. The child-adult is always in the intent to protect and the loving Adult is always in the intent to learn.

The six-steps of Inner Bonding are:

1. The willingness to become aware of our pain rather than protect against it with our various addictions.

2. The conscious decision to move into the intent to learn.

3. Dialoguing with our wounded self to discover the false beliefs and resulting behavior behind the pain. Releasing anger and pain in appropriate ways.

4. Dialoguing with our Higher Power to learn about truth and loving behavior.
5. Taking loving action in behalf or our Inner Child.

6. Evaluating the action.

All parents needs to be in a process of healing themselves. It is particularly important for single parents to be in this process since they are the primary role-models for their children. The more you heal the fears and false beliefs of your wounded self, the more loving you will naturally be with yourself and your children. Learning to utilize these six steps throughout the day, especially in times of anger, fear, anxiety and stress, will eventually heal the false beliefs leading to these difficult feelings.


Source : Margaret Paul Ph.D. (EzineArticles)

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Sunday, April 19, 2009

How to Handle Stress As a Single Parent

Being a parent is very, very stressful. When you top that with work, family and chores around the house - after a while you feel as if you could just crawl into bed and never get up. Being a single parent is even more stressful. Often times, it feels as if there is no one else in the whole world that can help alleviate some of your load or help you to avoid so much stress. This article discusses some of the ways that you can handle stress as a single parent and get through the tougher times.


ME Time


Everyone, especially single parents, need me time. This is very important for keeping your stress level low and keeping you happy. However, most single parents feel as if there isn't one single minute during the day that they can steal just for themselves. The key is to make some. If you don't do it, you will keep devoting 24 hours a day to everyone else and none to you. Hire a sitter to take the kids for a few hours each week and go see a movie. Leave the kids at a family member's house on a weekend night and enjoy the time you need. Whether you go out and remember what it's like to be a person and not just a parent or you lie on the couch and watch movies - it's still YOUR time.

Laugh

There are probably few times during your day when you feel like laughing. However, laughing is just plain out good for you. Laugh with your kids, watch some comedy - do something to make yourself laugh. It's amazing how much stress you shed when you're giggling to the point that you're crying! If you can't find something to make yourself laugh - make your kids laugh. Make funny faces at them or tickle them until they laugh. Soon, you'll end up rolling in your own laughter as well!

Calming Techniques

Stress is very bad for your heart, your body and can actually make you physically sick. Try a few calming techniques next time you find yourself wound to the point of snapping. For instance, close your eyes and breathe very slowly and deeply. Count to ten in your mind and see the numbers in your mind's eye. By the time you get to 10, you will have evened your breathing and begun to calm down. Another thing you can do is imagine something that is comforting to you - whether it's a hammock in the yard or a crackling fireplace. Imagine it until you see it clearly, smell the smells, hear the sounds and more - you will calm yourself down so that you can move on.

Stress is terrible - it is definitely a silent killer and it's important to find something which reduces the stress in our lives. Each time you feel yourself becoming stressed, try one of the techniques in this article to calm yourself down until you are able to continue without the stress. Good luck.

Source : Danielle L. Taylor (EzineArticles)

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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Single Parenting - Four Role Models to Avoid


Nobody ever said single parenting is easy. As parents, we all learn with time. However, too often, the pressure of single parenting can be so overwhelming that it’s easy to make mistakes.

Are you one of these single parents? Learn how you can avoid being one:

The Emotional Patient
Most single parents try to be a good friend to their children, which is a good thing. However, a problem arises when single dads or moms see their children as a source of emotional support. Children of single parents need stability and security. A divorce or the death of a parent can be a particularly traumatic experience for them. No matter how mature or old your children are, avoid making them your confidante on issues such as how much money you have or what a lousy day you had. Don’t rob them of their time to be children. It is unfair to burden them with issues that are difficult for them to handle. If you need to speak to someone, speak to your friends or a counselor.

The Guilt Tripper
As a single parent, it is easy to feel guilty about many things. Not being around when your children need you, not being able to help them with their homework, and so on. The danger with feeling guilty all the time is that some single parents tend to develop a lower self esteem that they may pass on to the children. Don’t be hard on yourself. Learn to take the ups and downs in your stride. And, by all means, don’t try to bolster your self-image by fishing for compliments about what kind of parent you are.

The Permissive Parent
Children need as much love and attention as you can give them. However, some single parents make the mistake of being too permissive and never correct their children when it’s necessary. Research has shown that the children brought up in overly permissive parenting style may develop behavioral problems because they do not easily accept responsibility.

Be firm and know where to draw the line. Shower your children with affection but set clear rules and limits. This, of course, does not mean being harsh or too authoritarian. Perfect the art of saying “I love you but a NO means a NO.”

The Martyr
Single parenting can be such an overwhelming experience that many parents simply forget to take care of themselves. With all the effort and sacrifice required to handle regular tasks such as meals and activities, it’s no surprise that many single parents get burned out. Don’t be a martyr. Your children require your time and energy and the only way to sustain it is by allotting some time for yourself. Pamper yourself from time to time, be it writing in your journal, listening to music, or working out in the gym. Arrange for a babysitter or a trusted friend to look after your children when you are away. Look at it not just as time goofing off, but very important re-charging time so you can get back to the difficult job of being a great dad/mom.


Source : GreatDad Writers

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Single Parenting...Challenging yet REWARDING!

Being a single parent and raising a child is the toughest and yet rewarding job that a person can have. It is full of ups and downs… There are times when anger and frustrations sets in. But it’s normal just don’t have to take out your feelings to your children.


Parenthood is a very demanding job and once you’ve accepted it you can never resign! And as for me being a single mom, it’s very difficult to raise a child all by myself. Like a typical mom, I have fears, worries . if I will be able to raise my child in a good way. If I will be a good mother to him . If I will be able to give all the things he need. If I will be able to send him to a good school . Full of if’s , but I know with the support of my family and friends I will conquer all those fears and worries.


Parenting does not have a destination. It does not have a landing pad where you finally realise it all. Rather it is a journey of maturation and growth. Of learning alongside our children as together we charter unknown territory.

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