Positives of a Single Parent Household

Do you feel like your basic daily routine is just more of "the same," day in and day out, as though your life were one big treadmill? You get up, take care of the kids, head off to work, come home and do chores, make dinner, help the kids with their homework, and collapse in exhaustion, only to get up the next day and do it all again, right? Well, there's no denying that life can certainly feel this way at times, especially when everything that must be accomplished falls squarely on your shoulders as a single parent. In addition, there is so much misinformation and negative opinion out there about the effects of divorce on families and children. This can add to the overwhelming sensation that you can't do anything right.

Good news, fellow solo parents, there are also many positives to this scenerio as well!!!

Some of the positives of a single parent household include:

* A child from a single parent home who is loved and supported has no more problems than a child from a two parent home. (Remember that when you get poor advice from well meaning friends!!!! It's just the boost you need!)
* Whether or not the child uses their free time constructively (for example, reading or playing sports) depends on discipline, family routine and quality time between parent and child - not whether the child has one or two parents living in the house.
* The child is typically mature and responsible.
* The parent is typically self-reliant and confident. (Not a bad thing to role model for your kids, right?)
* The relationship between parent and child is close.
* Single fathers are more likely to use positive parenting techniques than married fathers.
* Single parent families are less likely to rely on traditional gender-specific roles than two parent families.
* Single parents tend to rely on positive problem-solving strategies rather than punitive discipline when faced with difficult child behaviors. This does not mean you "don't discipline," just that you "discipline differently."
* Single parents tend to spend more quality time with their children because they have less time to waste.


Things to remember

* There are different reasons why a person becomes a single parent and it takes time to adjust to this role.
* Single parenting differs from dual parenting in many ways, but the most common difference is that single parents may involve their children in more household decision making. This does not mean the house is "child centered" as I have heard some say.....it means you operate as a family together.
* Children may have more duties and responsibilities around the home from an earlier age, simply because there isn’t another adult around. This is not a BAD thing, simply a fact and when my 5 year old son took out the vacuum to clean up his own spilled popcorn without being asked, I found it to be a pretty GOOD thing myself!

These are things to feel good about, they are facts! Just because some don't agree doesn't mean you are not doing a GREAT JOB!