Single Moms:
You Are Not Alone
By Lori Radun
Motherhood is filled with ups and downs, triumphs and defeats and it is sometimes a tireless job. Moth- ers don’t get sick days, or vacation days and some days you don’t even get the chance to brush your teeth by yourself. Being a single mom, you face a lot of things by yourself whether it is mowing the grass, running your kids places or even who you are going to call when something breaks can be a challenge to a frustrated single mom. I remember my days of single motherhood very well, and there are several things that you can do to help minimize some of the strain and stress of living the life of an everyday single mom .
Perfect Moms Don’t Exist
First and foremost, nix the internal pressure of trying to be a per- fect mom. You are going to make mistakes and that is okay. Feeling guilty over being single if you have just gone thru a divorce, or feeling
guilty because you can’t provide the lavish things for your kids you had hoped to or you can’t go on those big vacations you always wanted to is self-defeating. Letting go of unnecessary and invalid guilt will help you and your children get on with your lives and lead healthy, happy and productive lives.
Living on a Tighter Income Requires a Budget
When you are a single mom, money is usually a big concern. Learning to plan a budget and stick to it will help immensely. You may also want to get some advice about long-term investments such as your kid’s college funds, or your retire- ment fund. Another way to help you make more money is to go back to school or see what options are available in your current job that will give you additional training that may give you more earning potential.
August/September 2012
Lean on Friends and Family for Support
A single mom needs to have friends and family that she can count on. You want to surround yourself with a support system of people that can help you if you need a sitter or an errand ran or just someone to vent your frustrations and the joys of being a parent, someone that can take some of the strain off of you. For example, find one of your child’s friend’s parents and really get to know them. Maybe you can share the driving of the kids around, or pick up from school. Share errands with someone else. You go to Costco for your friend and yourself, and let your friend do an errand for you. Having friends and family that you can count on is extremely important. Nobody can do everything and it is okay to ask for help.
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