Search Results for: single parenting blog

Single Parents in the Online Dating Scene

For many single parents it seems as if online dating is the only way to meet someone in our current situation. Most single mothers have a very limited amount of time to meet people. If you’re lucky you get every other weekend to yourself, and most of us spend that time doing all the things that we couldn’t do when our children were there during the week. It’s about the only time we can clean something and have it stay clean for more than five minutes so we take advantage of it. Because of our limited amount of time, online … Continue reading →

How Did I Go From Single Parent To Empty Nester?

As a single mother we all wish for some peace and quiet. Well, now that I’m a single mother of a married daughter, I have all the peace and quiet I can handle. This is a relatively new stage in my life and it’s taking a little adjusting to. I’m so used to Hailey being here all the time, now, she’s not. My new son in law is wonderful, but I’m still not crazy about sharing my daughter with him! I’m not used to the house being so quiet, I’m not used to the house staying clean. Mostly, I’m not … Continue reading →

Building a Healthy Co-Parenting Relationship

Getting divorced is so much more complicated when there are children involved. The marriage may be over, but this person will continue to be a part of your life for the next 18 years because of the simple fact that you have children together. This is one of the most difficult things about divorce; you get a constant reminder that your marriage failed and that you now have to share your children. Like it or not, you are tied together for life. You now have to find a way to navigate your new co-parenting relationship, which trust me, is a … Continue reading →

Sometimes I Don’t Like Being a Single Parent

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I love being a parent and because I’m an optimist I always try to look on the bright side of being a single parent. It’s hard for me to admit that sometimes I don’t like being a single parent. I wouldn’t trade my daughter for anything in the world but sometimes it’s just too much. When I was first divorced and Hailey was much younger just having to be constantly available was overwhelming. When I was married I took a walk every evening for about an hour. I needed that time away just to regroup and quiet my mind. Once … Continue reading →

Single Dads And Their Baby Mommas

Have you noticed how many more single dads there are now? It used to be that single dads were a rarity and usually were the result of the death of a spouse. Not anymore. More and more women are choosing to allow their children to live with their fathers. It’s still pretty taboo. When people meet a single father they instantly assume the mother of those children is worthless, after all, what kind of woman walks away from her children? Men and women walk away every day, and have been for years but that doesn’t necessarily have to be the … Continue reading →

Single Parenting is Not Glamorous

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I’ve read many studies that say the rise in single parenting is also influencing the rise in teenage pregnancy. To many young girls single parenting looks glamorous, from the outside. Teenage girls who can’t wait to get away from their parents see pregnancy as an out and when they see lots of women raising their kids alone, they think it’s not a big deal. Not only is single parenting a big deal, single, teenage parenting is a huge deal. Many times the single mothers they see are established in their careers, they have a strong financial base, they also have … Continue reading →

We Are All New At Parenting

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It’s such a beautiful day today. I took a walk around my neighborhood just enjoying the day, watching all the little ones out playing in the sunshine as their mom’s hovered close by. It’s so cute to watch people interact with their toddlers. We all try to reason and use logic and all that toddler can think is I. Want. it. Now. As I walked I saw one of the moms shoot me an embarrassed smile as her tiny little one threw a tantrum. I smiled back, thinking how hard we all are on ourselves as mothers. We want our … Continue reading →

Reach Out To Other Single Parents

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Recently there was a story in the news about three small children being abandoned in a vacant shed where other homeless people were living. The children were all under three years old. This got me thinking about the really dark side of single parenting. For most of us single parenting is a challenge but it is not impossible. We have the support of friends and family, our ex’s are involved with our children and we are able to financially keep our heads above water, at least most of the time.. This is not the case for all single mothers. Some … Continue reading →

Depression Among Single Parents

Most single parents experience some form of depression at one time or another throughout their parenting career. What may have begun as sadness may have developed into something far greater. There are times when extreme emotional trauma can throw your body into an extreme chemical imbalance. This isn’t your fault; it is your body’s response to the chaos going on around you. Depression is more than just a deep sadness at your situation. Most of us aren’t thrilled at our circumstances as a single parent, but when you are depressed you may feel consumed by that sadness. You may feel … Continue reading →

Parenting Your Strong-Willed Child

This week I have come to the conclusion that I have the most stubborn child on the face of the planet. Ok, not really, but it certainly feels like it. We’ve had more than our fair share of power struggles this week. Unfortunately, he got stuck with an equally stubborn mother, so he can’t win, but that’s not going to stop him from trying. Does this sound familiar to you? There are times when having a strong-willed child may feel like a curse. They can definitely be a handful at times, especially when they are little, but they often grow … Continue reading →