Single Parents Ensure Their Children Get The Love And Attention They Need To Live Healthy And Happy Lives

Single Parents are people who not only burn the candle at both ends, but often find ways to burn the candle in the middle as well. Is it any wonder that Single Parents can feel burned out so much of the time?

Anyone who is responsible for successfully juggling a career, a home and the children inside of it will readily know the feeling.

Think of a relay race, only you get to run every leg of the race with only a few people to cheer you on.

Include such issues as Child Support, Visitation, Legal Separation, Child Custody and Child Custody Agreements, Shared Parenting, Long Distance Parenting, just to name a few, and the burdens can seem very heavy indeed.

It is enough to make a person want to run away and never come back. And no you can’t ask your four year old to pack you a lunch because you are running away from home.

Before you lace those track shoes up too tightly, remember that it is altogether possible to be a happy and successful Single Parent with happy and healthy children to show for it.

The reasons for being a Single Parent are many and varied.

Some are single due to a divorce, adoption or having a child out of wedlock. This often leads to issues such as child support, visitation rights, contested divorce, and the thorny issues surrounding legal separation.

Divorce parenting is a term often used synonymously with Single Parenting, although the two are obviously not always the same thing.

Others find themselves parenting alone due to the death or abandonment of a spouse or loved one. Many single dads find themselves in this camp, though these things always work both ways.

The one constant is that as a Single Parent you often find yourself feeling alone and overwhelmed, often with young children who need more time and attention from you than what is possible to give them.

Though this is no walk in the park, a walk in the park can often do wonders for both you and your children and will give you back some strength and focus to go another day and beyond.

The truth is, even parents in the more traditional two parent families often get exhausted and feel like they are at the end of their ropes, and they have the help of another parent in the home to share the parenting duties with.

So if you feel like things are really tough at times, you're right; they are.

But you are tough and you need to stay tough for the ones who depend on you to be there for them.

That being said there are many parents who share joint custody of their children with the biological mom or dad. This is most often what happens in the case of divorce.

This is also known as shared parenting and is usually in the best interest of the children who will rightly continue to feel love and affection for both parents, and who will always benefit from getting that love and affection back in return.

Stel and Mom - © Cmorgan68

Children almost always look up to their parents no matter what, so it is crucial that Single Parents successfully fight the urge to speak negatively of the divorced spouse in the presence of their children.

It is not only harmful to the children but it is immature and childish to speak ill of a child's parent, even if that parent is someone you are no longer married to and/or is someone whom you no longer like as a human being.

Put all that aside when you are interacting with the children as they deserve NOT to be constantly dragged into the middle of a mess they didn’t want between two people they will always love.

Your children will respect and appreciate you more when you keep them out of the middle of your problems as much as possible.

Children should only be asked to choose sides during games in the school yard, not between parents in the front yard.

You need to be the parent and let your children be the children. It works much better that way.

According to US Government Census Data for 2006, there are approximately 10.5 million single-mother families and 2.5 million single-father families in the U.S.

With all of these single fathers caring for their children in the U.S. we can all stop wondering who is buying all of those frozen dinners at the supermarket?

Though with the advent of the Food Channel Network most people now consider themselves to be Iron Chefs, but I digress . . .

In the case of divorce, no two child custody agreements are the same. In almost all cases one parent usually parents for the majority of the time, with the other parent getting visitation rights and longer visits over the holidays.

Long distance parenting issues can also arise in these cases and come with their own set of challenges and limitations.

If you are the Single Parent who spends the majority of the time being the parent to your children, don’t forget to make it fun.

Dad and Joel - © Meemal

That’s right, find a way to keep it fun.

Children only get one shot at being young, and your parenting experiences will be greatly enriched if you remember to keep the smiles and good times coming as often as possible.

Take the time to be silly with your children.

Be the one to play games and read books with them.

Even if it is only for a few minutes each day, make the time and creativity needed to bring that simple happiness and joy into your child's life each day.

Those simple and fun times you create out of the ordinary will become cherished memories your children will have of you and them forever.

Keep in mind that parenting is mostly done through example.

Show your children through example that life can be fun and exciting.

It doesn’t take a monumental effort to make a monumental difference.

Life will always be busy and hectic and consuming. You need to make sure it is also fun and worth living for you and the children you love and parent.

There are many effects of Single Parenting that you should be aware of.

There is a strong association between Single Parenting and an increased risk of poverty.

There are also many negative social, behavioral and emotional risks associated with children raised on your own.

The good news is that increased levels of parental education greatly reduce the risks associated with Single Parenting homes.

And please keep in mind that though there are studies and statistics regarding risks and possibilities, you and your children are NOT Statistics!

The fact that you are reading this Preteen Thru Teenage Parenting Action Guide is a wonderful indicator that you are proactive in your desire to learn and grow as a parent, and any child would benefit by being raised by such an open minded parent as that.

You control the tone and tenor of your home.

You can make of it whatever you want it to be.

Happiness is truly yours for the taking.

The bottom line facts about Single Parenting are the facts you create through your parenting wisdom, patience, creativity, fun and love.

The reality is that as a Single Parent you need to work longer and harder than most parents do.

You often need to act as both mother and father, though you would be wise to emphasize the role which you know best.

And you need to trust yourself and your parental instincts more than most parents should have to as you often won’t get a second opinion on the parental decisions you must make on a daily basis.

Just take heart and keep moving forward.

You and your children will be grateful you did.

Be the Single Parent who finds a way to see the bright side of life for yourself and for your children at any time, for any reason, over and over again.

Save A Little. Spend A Little. Work A Lot. Love A Lot.

Single Parents Always Find A Way For The Ones They Love!

Return from the Single Parents Page to the Home Page