Search Results for: blog single parent chaos

Sanity Tips for the Single Mother

You’ve got a lot on your plate. If you’re anything like me your mind is going about a thousand miles an hour trying to keep track of this and that and what and when and who and…well you get the point. It’s kind of a mess trying to keep track of everything you have to do day in and day out because there’s no one else there to remind you of what needs to be done. I have felt myself going a little more insane each day, but I have learned a few tricks that have helped keep my sanity … Continue reading →

Single Dads Not Forgotten

So often we write in regards to the single mothers of the world, today I would like to reach out to the single fathers and let them know that they are not forgotten. While there are significantly more single mothers out there, many single fathers are struggling with similar issues that often go unnoticed. Growing up my two best friends were raised by a single father, in a time when single fathers were much less common. It was very unusual in the state of Utah for a father to get sole custody, but due to the extenuating circumstances at the … Continue reading →

Depression Among Single Parents

Most single parents experience some form of depression at one time or another throughout their parenting career. What may have begun as sadness may have developed into something far greater. There are times when extreme emotional trauma can throw your body into an extreme chemical imbalance. This isn’t your fault; it is your body’s response to the chaos going on around you. Depression is more than just a deep sadness at your situation. Most of us aren’t thrilled at our circumstances as a single parent, but when you are depressed you may feel consumed by that sadness. You may feel … Continue reading →

Single Parent Chaos

It was one of those mornings. They seem to happen much more frequently as a single parent than they did when I was married. I am in the middle of my college finals this week. This is stressful in and of itself; then you add a three year old in the mix and things get slightly more stressful (ever tried studying with a three year old?); to top things off you’re doing it on your own, there’s no one there to give you a 20 minute study break, you simply learn to multi-task like a mad woman. As if this … Continue reading →

Holiday Visitors and the Single Parent Family

Visiting is a HUGE part of what the holiday season is all about—whether it is traveling over the river and through the woods for an old-fashioned family meal, or a cocktail party for coworkers and colleagues, most of us are called up to step up our social lives from mid-November until January 1st. For a single parent family, hosting parties, putting up holiday visitors, and even coordinating childcare for other social outings during this busy season can be a real challenge! Many of you know that I have three children and they all have very different temperaments. When they were … Continue reading →

Do Children of Single Parent Families Really Act Out More?

I know that many of us single parents have been on the receiving end of “judgment”–people (teachers, neighbors, family member, etc.) who blame just about everything and anything that might go awry with our children as being “because they are from a broken home” or “because of the divorce” or “because you’re a single parent.” Of course, I don’t buy it–I think that there are plenty of reasons that children might “act out” and while the trauma and chaos of a divorce or death might be some of those reasons–there are plenty others that have nothing to do with single … Continue reading →

Single Parent Procrastination

The dishes from tonights dinner. The basket of reds that aren’t quite a full load. The last few boxes sitting in the basement waiting to be unpacked from our move. The homeschooling files waiting to be written to disc. What do all of these and several other things have in common? They are all things I commonly procrastinate on. I often live by Mark Twains advice “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” Though I really shouldn’t live by that and am trying to change my ways one step at a time, it’s easier … Continue reading →

Single Parent Families Don’t Have to be Chaotic

There is a myth out there that families headed by single parents are overly-chaotic and full of drama and crisis. Well, I think all families have the potential to be full of drama and chaos, and while the single parent family may be born out of painful chaos–we don’t have to stay in that state. We can let go of all that crisis and chaos and, after moving through transitions, establish a calm, peaceful and stable family life… I think that as single parent families, our capacity for chaos can be expanded. Then, we just get so used to it … Continue reading →

What NOT to Say to a Single Parent on a Date

We sometimes chat here about the realities and challenges of dating as a single parent. As I sat down to write this blog, I started thinking over all the things that have been said to me by people on dates–and I’m not just talking first dates here. I think it could also be expanded to include things that friends and coworkers say (and shouldn’t ) to single parents. Here are some of the things that I have heard and don’t think anyone should ever say to a single parent: “So, are your kids good?” The implication, of course, is that … Continue reading →

Balancing Routine and Flexibility—Hard Stuff for the Single Parent

To a certain extent, all parents have to find a balance between predictability and routine, and a healthy dose of flexibility, but I think it can be a real tough dilemma for the single parent. With only one of us running the household, generating income, and managing the childcare and parenting—we are even more vulnerable to becoming overly-routinized or throwing our hands up and embracing the loose life… Routine is the single parents best friend—the more organized and scheduled you can get things, the more likely it is that things will get done (dinners made, lunches packed, kids to school, … Continue reading →