Challenges and Consequences of Single Parenting

Single parenting has its challenges, but it can also be rewarding if the situation is accepted as it is and the parent decides that it's a time for personal growth. Actually, there are many single parents who have benefited immensely from this experience. They have become more self-reliant and less co-dependent on the help of others.

Many of the single parenting challenges take years to fully master and to diminish their possible negative consequences while others are just a matter of better time management or of adopting a positive attitude towards life.

One of the most common problems that families with a single parent are facing is a low income. Taking into account that in a traditional family usually there are two parents working and balancing financial difficulties, the money a single parent makes barely covers the basic necessities. So that, in many cases single parents will try to get a second job and as a consequence will have less time to spend with his/her children, not to mention that the stress and pressure experienced are doubled. A real aid in such a situation can be child support, but this is not always the case.

There is also the challenge of deciding who has custody of the children, either full or joint, when divorce is involved. And there is always the problematic nature of two divorced parents' relationship after the papers are finalized. The two parents need to work on building a friendship based on honesty and support while avoiding power struggles for the sake of their children.

All these aspects, taking the parents out of the equation, impact the child's lifestyle in a way that may be brutal and emotionally painful. To begin with, the child may be too small to understand why his/her parents live separately all of a sudden or why he/she has to comply with absurd rules such as visiting hours. A messy divorce will always have casualties and, unfortunately, the children are always marked long-term. They can develop feelings of anger, sadness and a low self-esteem, problems with socializing or emotional attachment as a result.

Generally, family responsibilities are shared in a traditional family scenario, but with only one parent in charge of everything, things can get really hectic. So that, without the help of close relatives babysitting or of a full time nanny, practically a single parent will encourage his/her children to take on responsibilities sooner than others normally would. Chances are that they will mature faster and will try to reach independence at an earlier age.

Abigail Simmons is Author of Positive Parenting Secrets Book. She has helped many parents solve their parenting problem using her practical positive parenting techniques. To learn more about her parenting tips and techniques, please visit http://www.101ParentingResources.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abigail_Simmons

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When Single Parenting Is Best For Your Child

In the process of creating a safe and happy family environment, parents play the lead role. It is with their care and attention, devotion and commitment, unconditional love and sacrifice that an empty lifeless house is transformed into a dream nourishing haven for their children. Unfortunately, studies show that more couples with children decide to separate or divorce, adding yet another generation of single parenthood to the family tree.

Many modern day parents resort to counseling or family therapy in order to make their relationship work for the sake of the children. But there is no success guarantee in the long-term. Others will peacefully agree that separation or divorce is actually in their children's best interest. All in all, a single parent usually chooses this path because he/she wants to avoid going through certain painful or difficult situations every day:

1. Physical or verbal abuse

An abusive home environment is not healthy either for the children or the mistreated parent. Children can adapt to a variety of situations, but they should never be exposed to maltreatment, abandonment or verbal abuse. In such a case, it is of no surprise why a parent decides that he or she would be better off raising the child/children on his/her own. The children would no longer have to live in fear, and they could finally have a normal life as a family.

2. Addictions

Addictions take up to one year to fully develop and it is common knowledge that an addicted individual will stop at nothing when it comes to fulfilling his/her needs. That person will resort to hiding, stealing, lying and a number of other dishonest means, without taking into consideration long-term consequences. Again, such an individual can destroy lives and break up families. The other partner, or the victim, will eventually give up the struggle, deciding that the better thing is single parenting.

3. Lack of interest in family life

When a father prefers a job that involves a lot of travelling or late office hours, and when he is at home does not engage in playing with the children or doing anything for the family, for that matter, a red flag is signaled. This scenario is often found in homes with dysfunctional family dynamics where there couple has communication and intimate problems. Other symptoms include fighting on a daily basis, crying, menacing that eventually lead to separation and single parenting.

Abigail Simmons is Author of Positive Parenting Secrets Book. She has helped many parents solve their parenting problem using her practical positive parenting techniques. To learn more about her parenting tips and techniques, please visit http://www.101ParentingResources.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abigail_Simmons

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Ways to Make Single Parenting More Manageable

Studies show that in the last decades the number of married couples divorcing has sky rocketed. After a messy divorce, the single parent is faced with yet another dilemma: how can I deal with raising a child and with a full-time job at the same time?

Most of the time single parents feel overwhelmed by the load of problems they struggle with on an everyday basis, but the good news is that it doesn't have to be this way. There are many things that single parents can do in order to make their lives less complicated and single parenthood more manageable.

1. Towards a better time management

As a single parent you might feel compelled to compensate and do everything by yourself, although your everyday schedule is hectic enough. While your efforts are admirable, you shouldn't feel guilty if you simply cannot handle everything. Instead you should think about how time management can help you with just a few easy-to-do steps:

· Prioritize! - Far from being an overstatement, parents will always prioritize their child's needs over theirs. And this is a good start. However, remember that a child is happy when he/she has a rested and relaxed parent to play with and talk to; so make sure that you also have your own needs listed right after those of your child.

· Multitask! - If you haven't tried this already, then it is time to do it. For example, you can cook dinner while helping your child with homework, or make the beds while playing hide and seek with the little one.

· Get help! - There is no shame in admitting that as a single parent you can't be in two places at the same time. So that if you're going through a rough period with late office hours, chores pilling up at home and not enough time to sleep, then you should seek help. Hiring a nanny, even for a short determined period of time, can be a real blessing for you and your child.

2. Towards handling short-term and long-term goals more efficiently

Many single parents set out to achieve more than they can handle, but if you have the right attitude and frame of mind, everything is possible. Here is how it works:

· Identify your goals! (i.e. "I want to spend more time with my child.")

· Break them down to more manageable short-term objectives! (i.e. "Talk to my boss about the working schedule", "Sundays can be dedicated to playing-time", "We can go out for a movie once a week" and etc.)

· Take each objective and focus on it components! (i.e. for "talking to my boss" components are: schedule a meeting, discuss the issue, adapt to the new working schedule, arrive earlier and finish work on time)

Abigail Simmons is Author of Positive Parenting Secrets Book. She has helped many parents solve their parenting problem using her practical positive parenting techniques. To learn more about her parenting tips and techniques, please visit http://www.101ParentingResources.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abigail_Simmons

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