How to Balance Your Life as a Single Parent

Single parents suffer enormous challenges full of stresses. If remedial steps are not taken to balance their lives, the situation will only continue to worsen with no way to get out. They play multifaceted roles of father, mother, provider, driver, cook and the list goes no. Their work hours can be from dusk to dawn without a break.  They juggle from home to work detouring to the day care centers to drop and pick the children before and after work. What should they do to balance their lives?

Start with a good support system consisting of family, friends, neighbors parents of friends of the children, church, hospital or clinic etc. The immediate family sticks together in thick and thin. Usually protocol is not needed to ask them to take care of the children or to run errands or to seek for help in the day to day life.

Research and find the nearby hospital or clinic that is willing to take care of sick children who may not have a serious problem. Though this service may be at a cost at least there is peace of mind to be able to go to work when your child is ill, knowing the child is in good care.

Look out for jobs that gives the flexibility to work around the Single Parent’s schedule. Some employers may even be willing to permit work from home.

Children too will have their own schedule.  It may not be possible for the Single Parent to attend all the events of their children if they have other children who are too small to attend. Have a network of other single parents so that they may be prepared to watch the children in order to go for at least some of the events if not for all. As the children grow their activities may also be extended to after school hours. Transportation will pose a problem unless support of other parents are sought to car pool and take turns. Parents should communicate to the children the transport arrangements. A white board detailing the weekly program indicating the relative information may be a good idea. That way there will be no confusion. Parents and children should be aware of each other’s daily program and have the easy access telephone numbers to each other.

Single parents must find ways to have fun with their children without having to spend too much money. It is important that children do not miss out on their childhood activities and spend quality family time. Absence of one parent should not be a deterrent to these factors.

Last but not least, the parent too must find time for herself to do things she likes  without the children. A time away from them will give added strength and energy. These are some of the ways for single parents to balance their hectic lives.