Becoming a single parent is hard in so many ways. Adjusting to all of the changes can be difficult right at first. One of the most challenging things for many single parents is learning how to manage their finances on their own. Being the sole income when there are children to support can be overwhelming to say the least. You learn to live within your means very quickly, or your kids don’t eat. As a mother the sacrifices come easily. We naturally will set aside our own needs for that of our children. What’s harder is learning to distinguish needs and wants for your children.
I would love for my son to be able to be in soccer and tee-ball and piano lessons, but unfortunately, money is tight and we are going to have to pick and choose. I wish that I could take him to Disneyland this year, but that too is way out of our means, so we will be finding some nice free activities to do at home until we strike it rich. There are so many things I would love to be able to do with my son, but we have to start with the necessities. As a single parent, the necessities may be all you can afford right now. Don’t let this discourage you. There are lots of fun things you can do with your children that literally don’t cost a thing. Take them for a picnic in the park, or a hike in the mountains. Sometimes these things are more memorable for them anyways.
Money may be tight, but you can still have fun with your kids. Set aside a few dollars every month into a special savings account so that you can take them to a movie or to ice cream every once in a while. It doesn’t take much, but they will be even more excited to go do these things with you because they know it doesn’t happen very often. It’ll be a nice treat for Mom too!