Being a Single Parent:
A phrase says that “It takes a village to raise a child”, and hence being a single parent is a challenging task. As a single parent, you must manage a variety of responsibilities and make countless choices. You may need to find effective strategies to deal with the unique obstacles that single parents face in order to support and love their children. Social pressure and judgment can be there however, a positive mindset towards every situation can help you raise your kid as a good citizen.
According to a UN Women study from 2019, “single moms account for 4.5 percent of all families in India, or 130 lakh women”. Also, “320 lakh single moms are thought to be living in extended households”. Hence it is reasonable to say that “family isn’t what we believe it is, with 450 million women living as single parents”.
Single parenting, also known as single parenthood, is when a person raises a kid or children without the help of a spouse. There are a variety of causes behind this. Somebody may have abandoned a marriage, or their spouse may have died. Surrogacy and adoption also allow some people to become single parents. You may not always think of your position as a benefit while you’re raising your children on your own, but there are certain tremendously good aspects of single parenting that ought to be recognized. Being a single parent you can have the following positive aspects;
- “Spending meaningful one-on-one time with your children helps you to form a special relationship with them that may be greater than if you weren’t a single parent”.
- Single parents who live far away from their extended families may opt to join community groups that help the complete family, such as “single parent support groups and synagogues”. It assists your children in learning to share and care for others.
- The involvement of your child in the overall family structure is essential. Your children will appreciate the worth of their participation and take pleasure in their own work if there is a genuine need for their support.
- Conflict resolution skills are demonstrated to kids in single-parent homes. They get to observe their parent hardworking to communicate and work together efficiently, despite their differences.
Challenges faced by single parents:
It is indeed difficult to comprehend the enormity of the obstacles that single parents in India endure on a daily basis. They are so distressed that they frequently seek assistance from mental health specialists. Single parents’ lives are becoming more difficult owing to new trends and the more access that children receive these days as a result of the Internet and cellphones. “They are frequently concerned about how to raise their children properly. They have a tendency to overcompensate for the absent parent by putting too much emphasis on material possessions and discipline. It’s tough to cater to children these days since the demand for technological gadgets has increased, the educational system has altered, and children are exposed to outside influences. As a result, lone parents are overburdened and take on much too many responsibilities.
Have a look at the following challenges faced by single parents:
- To satisfy the children’s financial demands, a majority of single parents work extremely hard. Running a household and raising children are both vital. There may be times when you have to decline your children’s requests, and you may have to manage other financial obligations. As a result, your child may be unable to pursue the chances he has always desired owing to financial constraints.
- When you have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders, your parenting style collapses. You might not be able to pay a caregiver to give you some much-needed free time. If you witness your kid being messy, you may respond more strongly. You can also tell your youngster about your personal, professional, or financial problems. However, they lack the maturity and emotional strength to cope with the problems in order to assist you.
- Your kids are prone to struggle with poor self-esteem. They may be in need of love, which you would be unable to provide due to your heavy workload. As a result, individuals could lose hope in their relationships later in life. else they will have higher expectations for love and companionship in the future, which will not be a healthy dynamic.
- Another issue that most single parents confront is loneliness. People will not only be unable to communicate their sorrows with their partners, but they will also be unable to express their happiness.
Parenting tips to overcome the challenges:
Raising children without the help of your spouse is difficult since you must deal with a lot of worries, problems, and other challenges on your own. However, don’t be discouraged by any difficulties!
Make sure your day is structured in a way that gives your youngster a sense of stability. Keep a regular mealtime, wake-up time, and bedtime schedule. If your job prevents you from investing time in your children during the day, don’t try to make up for it at night. With a little forethought and some easy strategies, you can make it work;
- You may feel terrible about the things you can’t offer for your children or the time you couldn’t spend with them. To your benefit, try to concentrate on all of the tasks you need to complete for the day while also showing affection, safety, and care to your children.
- Take it easy, you are not a superman or a woman, so shed the unnecessary social pressure of being an allrounder when it comes to single parenting.
- Take some time and figure out how to spend one-on-one time with each of your children. Take some time for yourself; it doesn’t have to be lengthy, but it may be quite enough to help you relax.
- Allowing youngsters to take the lead in accomplishing projects with some hurdles is one method to help them develop self-esteem.
Children being raised in healthy single-parent homes understand that they are their parents’ first concern, but they are not pampered as if they are the center of the universe. This balanced approach aids in the preparation of children for life in the “real world.”
We recognize that single parenting is a challenging responsibility, which is why we celebrate all single parents. Hopefully hope this post serves as a stepping stone in the development of your parenting style.
By Pawanbir
