Single Parent Challenges

As a single parent you face many challenges when you are the primary caretaker for your children. Even if you’re receiving child support from the other parent, single parenting is not easy.  Whether you chose to become a single parent, or had single parenthood thrust on you, the effects of being a single parent can be long term and difficult to overcome. Single parents must contend with many challenges such as financial, social, emotional, and logistical issues.  How well we deal with these issues will directly effect how well the child from a single parent household adjusts.

Single Parent Money Issues

The majority of single parents are faced with financial challenges. If you are a single parent due to a divorce, you’ve experienced how divorce divides the family’s resources and splits it into two households. Many single parents have a difficult time collecting financial support for their children.  But even with child support, making ends meet can be an ongoing challenge.  Add to that, single parents who do not have a strong support system are not able to work overtime, or take on a second source of income due to family responsibilities. This can put many single parent households in a real bind.

Single Parents Emotional Issues

Single parents face emotional challenges. The reasons that many parents become single parents are, by nature, emotionally taxing. The sudden death of a spouse; divorce, or the birth of an unexpected baby outside of a marriage all take an emotional toll on a single parent. Having support such as friends and family is very important. You can also find support through local agencies and church organizations. Trying to go it alone as a single parent can lead to depression. As a single parent you need to work through your emotional issues so that you are healthy enough to help your children deal with the emotional upheaval they are going through.

Single Parents and Logistics

As the primary parent you really need to learn how to become a single parent logistical wizard. To provide financially and emotionally for their children, single parents typically work full-time and are either dropping their children off early at child care or school; and picking them up late. Single parents must have jobs that will allow them to leave work for sick children, doctors appointments, parent conferences and school performances. Coordinating and executing all of these logistical issues can be exhausting. Being very organized and having back up plans can really help to reduce the stress that a single parent feels.