Raising a child alone comes with its share of stresses. You face an increasing number of challenges that other households won’t face. Single parent families have become more common than ever, which gives us more tips and tricks on how to survive it because more people have gone through it. Reduce stress and feel happier with some of these ideas on how to make it easier.
Find Quality Childcare
One of the hardest things about being a single mom comes from finding quality childcare that you can afford. Full-time childcare for an infant could cost upwards of $10,000 annually. The astronomical costs have made it even harder for a single mom. You might join or create a babysitter co-op to cut down on the costs. Each parent will have a specific time where they must watch everyone else’s kids. You do it for free and exchange hours of babysitting instead of currency in most cases.
Through this system, parents can get to know each other, and children will have the chance to form friendships. Most co-ops will operate based on a point system. You earn points whenever you watch someone else’s child, and you will spend points whenever you have someone watch yours. This works best within a tight knit community or a church group. Watching kids is often less of a burden than it might seem, and you can save some much-needed cash in the process.
How to Send Your Children to College
Especially as a single mom, you may wonder what you can do to send your child to college. You may even find it impossible to find funding. One of the ways that you can do it is by taking out a low-rate private parent loan. Having parent loans available come in handy because it lets you pay for schooling at a lower interest rate. This ensures that you give your child the best chance at a fulfilling and happy life of success.
Set Limits
You must establish rules early on and create a system of discipline. When the child breaks the rules, stand by your discipline. One of the worst things that parents do is that they say one thing and go back on it later because they felt bad about it. You must create a consistent routine because your child will respect you more for it. You won’t encounter as many behavior problems. Give your child an age-appropriate level of responsibility. At the same time, don’t expect him to behave like a little adult. That may be asking too much of a child. Let him enjoy his childhood.
Look for Support
Many people are willing to help a single mom take off some of the burdens. You can also join a support group for single parents. In some cases, you may receive help from social services. When necessary, call on loved ones, family members and trusted friends. Faith communities have proven helpful as well where they might have community members willing to help. The local paper and library will often hold information about playgroups and neighborhood houses that you could take advantage of.