4 Strategies To Succeed As A Single Mom – I’m A Mom
Being a single parent involves challenges that will complicate your life a bit, but it’s nothing you can’t overcome.
In this article we will tell you how to succeed and be an exemplary mother to your children. Follow these strategies and you will have a happy, united and strong family.
1.Learn to organize
As a single parent, you will find that many things take twice as much time and effort to complete. If until recently you relied on your partner to control all this clutter, from now on that will have to change.
But it’s not such a bad thing, because it will offer you the opportunity to grow and be self-reliant. The first steps are:
- Create a budget.
- Plan grocery shopping.
- Organize a menu every week.
- Cook in advance and leave the food ready.
- Fix a time for the children to sleep.
- Create a routine for doing home and school chores.
By making specific plans and setting schedules, your children learn about routine and make discipline part of their lives. Don’t be afraid to give them some responsibility. Certainly, your children will be motivated if they see you entrusting them with one or another obligation.
2.Have a support network
If you previously felt the need to rely on the occasional help of your parents and friends, that need will be greater now as a single mom.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you really need it. The people who can help you are:
- Your parents and siblings. They are usually the primary support in almost all cases. By being your most direct family, you will be confident enough to leave your children with them knowing they will be safe and well.
- Your friends. Some single moms are unable to rely on their family for personal reasons or distance. In that case, don’t feel alone. Seek support from your friends. Both single and married friends can be of great help to you. Just remember to be their support when they need it too.
- The nanny. It’s always a good idea to have a babysitter who can take care of your kids when no one else can. It is true that this entails an extra expense, but if you choose the right person it will be an investment that guarantees security. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends for references and ask everything you want to know.
- The nursery. Some crèches give the opportunity to leave babies a few more hours. In case your daycare does not allow this, find out if any employee works as an occasional nanny. The advantage is that your baby will already know this person and their knowledge has already been evaluated by other specialists.
3. Take care of your health
We understand that, as a single parent, you want to focus completely on your children. Am I telling someone a secret? Your children need a strong, healthy mother who is able to take care of them. So, don’t forget about your health, your diet and exercise.
Perform any necessary medical check-ups. Remember that there are important times:
- You should see your GP at least twice a year to assess your general health status.
- You must go to the dentist every 6 months.
- The visit to the gynecologist and ophthalmologist must be made every year.
Eating and exercising give you the opportunity to teach your children good habits. If they see that you eat healthy and that you are active, they will imitate you and it will be less difficult for you to encourage good habits in them.
4.Work your emotions
Carry a journal, write down your emotions, draw, paint, or whatever helps you work through your emotions. As a single mom, you will find yourself in moments of melancholy and this is normal. Don’t try to avoid these situations.
The best thing to do is identify what you can learn and how to get out of it and move forward. Take your time to let these emotions flow, and then move on. Your children will learn that managing bad times is possible, and they will adopt the attitude they see you have in those times.
What are the strategies you follow to succeed as a single mom? Share with us too!
