Single Parent Survival Skills
By: Lori Pedersen, L.M.S.W.
Emotional Overload
Many single parents say they deal with a variety of emotional issues that you might describe as “extra baggage.” Some examples include:
- Self-pity
- Depression
- Guilt
- Anger
- Envy
- Fear
- Severe money problems
- Loneliness and isolation
- Frustration
- Exhaustion
These issues present such a challenge because they undermine your daily functioning and emotional well-being. But they can be managed successfully so that you manage your family in a positive way.
8 Ways to Speed Your Recovery Process
Becoming divorced or widowed and then facing years of single parenting is a shock to anyone who experiences it. You will need to take steps to recover and heal. Here are some suggestions:
1. Some churches, synagogues, counseling centers, and therapists offer free and low-cost divorce recovery workshops and grief support groups. Look for them in the newspaper and Yellow Pages. If you don’t see any listed, call a few places that may be able to refer you.
3. Also on the Internet, look for chat rooms or bulletin boards where single parents post messages and share ideas.
4. Find library books for kids about divorce and single-parent families, and read them together. Take the time to talk about how they relate to your situation and encourage your kids to talk about their feelings.
6. Tell your children’s teachers and the school psychologist that you are a single-parent family. Let them know that you welcome feedback and suggestions on coping with your circumstances.
7. When you are ready, investigate groups like Parents Without Partners for single adults. You need to be with other adults who have similar interests.
8. Learn to help your kids talk about what is happening to them. Learn conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.