My niece is about to become a single parent. This wasn’t planned, she and the father split up before she found out she was pregnant. Not an ideal situation by any means but one she fully intends to take responsibility for.
My heart goes out to her, I know what it’s like and I didn’t have to do it from Hailey’s birth. There are so many things I want to tell her, ways to make it easier but the biggest thing I can say is don’t try to do it alone.
So often we are so proud and don’t want to accept help from anyone. We are brought up to be self sufficient and asking for help feels like failure. When you are a single parent you usually don’t have to ask for help, people will usually offer. You just need to put your pride aside and accept their offer.
If you are a single mother let the people who love you and your children help. When someone offers to help, accept and say thank you. If someone offers help you can’t use, thank them and let them know what you really need.
A full nights sleep is a wonderful thing and with an infant, it’s a rarity. If someone offers to sleep over and take care of the baby so you can sleep, then by all means, let them! People will rarely offer to do things that inconvenience them.
A trip to the grocery store without a toddler or infant can seem like Heaven. If someone offers to take the children just ask if the next time you need to grocery shop if they would like to keep them, then work out a time that works for both of you.
As a single mother your plate is full to overflowing, let other people help with some of that. You will be more rested and relaxed, which can only benefit your children.