Let’s be honest: being a single parent is hard. Whether you intentionally pursued single parenthood (as a growing number of men and women are these days), or you found yourself here unintentionally, you’re single parenting now. And figuring out how to deal with the struggles of that is going to be important for both you and your little one.
So first things first: it’s time to figure out who you can count on. You will need more support as a single parent than you ever have before in your life. You need people you can call, people you can rely on, and friends and family who care about both you and your baby. And if you are truly raising this little one on your own, without the help and support of an ex, then you also probably need to consider having a few important people of the opposite sex in your life so that your baby can grow and learn from them as well.
Find your support system. Having them in place will make a world of difference.
Beyond that, establishing a routine is going to be important for both you and your little one. When you know what to expect from the day to day, it can make it easier for you to tackle the hurdles and to create a sense of safety and security for your baby.
You also need to make some time for yourself. It can be so easy to become so invested in caring for your baby that you forget to nurture your own body and soul. But making time to see friends, to work out, to get sleep, and to take care of your own appearance can be so important for living a happy and healthy life; and your baby deserves to have a happy and healthy parent.
So reach out to that support system every once in a while, and allow them to watch your little one so that you can do something for yourself. It doesn’t have to be long; even just a few hours can be rejuvenating. And the added bonus is that your baby will then have the opportunity to form bonds with other people. Sometimes having that one-on-one time with someone other than mom or dad can be great for your little ones development.
Most importantly, go easy on yourself. Parenting is hard, and single parenting is harder, but you can do this. When in doubt, reach out to your support system for a reminder of that!
Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.
