Parenting Tips for Single Parents

You thought it could never happen to you but here you are - a single parent. While you may be grieving the loss of your spouse, going through a difficult divorce, or simply struggling to juggle everyday tasks that come with raising a child alone, keep in mind that you´re in good company. Single parents make up nearly a third of all households.

Even though the number of single parents is on the rise, no one said raising a child alone is easy. With that in mind, we´ve compiled a few parenting tips for single parents.

Now that you´ve joined the league of single parents, you´ll find that demands on your time shoot up dramatically. If you thought there weren´t enough hours in the day before, you´re in for a big surprise. But that doesn´t mean you can´t enjoy quality time with the kids. You just may need to adjust your time management skills.

Let the kids help with chores. Even a toddler can swish a feather duster around while you do the vacuuming. Turn on some upbeat music and have a little fun as you clean together.

Do Mommy Work (or Daddy Work) while the kids do their homework. Set yourselves up at the dining room table and get to work. You can pay your bills, write up your grocery list, and be there for your kids when they get stuck.

Prioritize activities. When you´re raising a child alone, you can´t rely on a spouse to pitch in, it´s just you. You may need to cut back on the extra activities so you aren´t spending all your time driving around from soccer practice to ballet lessons. Consider carpooling with another family, finding activities closer to home, or choosing activities on the school grounds.

Raising a child alone usually means raising a child with less money. Child support may or may not come. Because money is tight, you may be working more or making do with less. A simple way for single parents to save both time and money is to ax those takeout dinners you´ve come to rely on.

If you think single parents don´t have time to cook, consider this: ten minutes driving to the restaurant, ten minutes waiting for your order, and ten minutes driving home. It only takes a minute to throw a few pork chops, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a cup of apple juice into a crock pot. Throw in a bagged salad and a roll and dinner is on the table. You´ll eat healthier, spend less money, and gain a few precious minutes.

Speaking of dinner, all families, including those led by single parents, benefit from sharing the dinner table. Make dinnertime a time where you can enjoy a meal and a nice visit with your kids. Keep the TV off and talk about the events of the day and your hopes and dreams for the future. Let dinner become a family ritual you all look forward to.

All of the above parenting tips for single parents share a common theme: adjusting your life and spending time with your kids. Raising a child alone is an adjustment but you don´t have to do it alone. Build a support network and give yourself a break. This can be as simple as relying on grandparents for help here and there, joining a parenting support group, or trading babysitting with a friend. Other resources include daycare centers, organizations such as Parents without Partners, and church groups. If you´re essentially raising a child alone due to your partner´s military deployment, the different branches of the military offer support services that may be able to help you.

If you´re a new single parent, dating may be the last thing on your mind. Even longtime single parents are often too busy to consider it. Eventually, you may want to begin dating. This will be another big step but one you and your kids can handle. Our main parenting tips for single parents on the dating scene are to take it slow and to use discretion. Don´t parade an endless number of new dates in and out of your child´s life. Drop the kids off at the grandparents for the weekend and enjoy yourself. When your new relationship grows, you´ll know when it´s time to introduce the kids.

While raising a child alone is twice as hard as doing it with a partner, rest assured, you can do it. Surround yourself with people who support you, never talk poorly of the other parent, raise your child with love and respect, and you´ll all be fine.