Search Results for: blog where does social life rank in your priorities

Why No One Thing Should Be My Whole Life

I am sure you have heard people say things like: “My job is my life” or “My children are my whole life.” While in most cases, I think they are just trying to stress how important and strongly committed they are to their job, spouse, kids, cats, etc. I think there really are strong reasons NOT to make one thing one’s entire reason for living… I have made no bones about the fact that I am a dedicated mom–I LOVE being a mother and it is a central, grounding reality to my life and it has been for nearly two … Continue reading →

Do You Warn People Before They Come To Your House?

A few years ago, I started adding a little “disclaimer” to any invitations I sent out: “Our home houses kids and cats, please let me know if you are allergic to either.” This disclaimer was in response to a few grumbling people and an invitation I received to a barbecue that said “No dogs or children.” I was aggravated and offended, but I realized that there were plenty of people out there who didn’t like kids or animals (I am SO not one of them) and that it was only fair that everyone should know the score before they crossed … Continue reading →

Why I Can’t Work Every Single Day

Most of us home business owners work a lot. We often do not keep regular business hours and are finding time to work when our families are sleeping, or there is a break in the action. Some of us hold down traditional “day jobs” and work at night or in the early mornings on our home businesses. I know full well that there are those people who can work seven days a week, but I have had to learn that I am NOT one of them… Perhaps someday when I no longer have three children at home, I will be … Continue reading →

What is Wrong With Not Looking?

As many of you know, I have been a single parent for a long time. I’m into it, as a friend of mine would say. I am not a social recluse and I do get out and about and have a life. However, there probably isn’t a week that goes by that someone doesn’t ask me something like: “Are you seeing anyone?” or “Anything new in the romance department?” or “Aren’t you getting out there and looking?” I get it from friends, family, co-workers, even my mother cannot resist asking me once a month or so. I am not hiding … Continue reading →

Challenge for Single Parents—Balancing Nurturing and Getting Things Done

While all parents have to find a way to be the best and most effective parent possible, a single parent does have some more intense challenges, or at least challenges that can be more of a juggling game. Since we are called upon to play all the roles and be provider, housekeeper, and parent, we have to find a way to balance our practical, responsible side, with the loving nurturing that our kids require and deserve. I can really get caught up in just keeping things going. With three kids, a small business to run and a more “traditional” job … Continue reading →

When Your KIDS Think You Should “Find Someone”

My kids have been generally supportive of my sad attempts at dating. As a matter of fact, they have been rather patient with the whole process as I know it isn’t always thrilling to have an unattached parent. I have made a few questionable choices over the years which has led me to just call the whole dating thing off—I figure if it hasn’t happened by now, chances are the whole love and partner thing ain’t-a-coming; besides there is so much other stuff to do. My kids, however, are thinking it’s about time that their solo mom “found someone.” I’m … Continue reading →

Where Does “Social Life” Rank In Your Priorities?

I admit that as a single parent, sometimes having a social life really slips down on my rank of priorities and things I have energy to put into—not always. There are other times when getting out of the house, being with friends, and even dating can feel like just what I need. But, at the end of a really long day—working the multiple jobs, taking care of house and kids and activities and errands—I don’t always feel like I have much to offer in the social department and I know I don’t have the energy to listen to one more … Continue reading →

Marriage Stress: Coping with Burnout

Have you experienced burn out before? It can happen to us because of our jobs, our lifestyles and our commitments. One of the biggest jobs we have as spouses is to protect our spouses and to look after them. Part of looking after them is watching for these signs of burnout and providing them with the assistance and the support to recover from it. Burnout I’ve gone through burnout before. It’s a state where you’re exhausted, overwhelmed and lacking the will to continue facing the challenges that happen. This happened to me once when my daughter was an infant, I … Continue reading →

What Should A Good Parent’s Priorities Be?

I asked my husband “What should a good parent’s priorities be?” His first response was “The well-being of their children.” Yet many leading experts say that a parent’s first priority should be to their spouse. Why? The reason is simple if you have a good marriage you are more likely to be a good parent. Counselor Peter Gerlach found that in consulting with over 1,000 couples that those who do not make their marriage a priority ultimately fail. We all know what divorce does to kids. So a parent’s first priority should be to their marriage. Andrew Mullins, author of … Continue reading →