Quick Self-Care Tips for Co-Parents:
- Build your personal support network as a single parent
- Take time for your kids AND yourself, be a single parent does not mean you can be happy
- Get your finances in order
- Don’t feel guilty
- Look on the bright side
In the United States, 1 in 4 children are living in a single parent household, and it can be stressful. Effectively managing stress is a key to improving the happiness of you and your child. Every parent, single or not, needs help at some point. From someone to look after your kids in an emergency, to someone who you can vent your frustrations too. Ask your friends and family members for help, or find others who are in the same situation by joining a support group for single parents.
Sure, dirty clothes pile up, dishes need to be done, and chores back up, but take time out of the day to focus on your kids and yourself. Quality personal time is the best way to bond with your children. You cannot support your children if you’re drained of energy. Simple things like taking a walk, reading a book, or talking to a family member can give you that extra bit of energy to be the pillar of your family.
Relying on a single income, or an ex for child support, is one of the leading causes of stress on a single parent. Create a budget and be sure to include an emergency fund, this will help you understand where your family’s money is being spent. If you are receiving child support, find ways to calmly talk about shared expenses. More about talking with your ex here.
It’s easy to feel guilty about all the things you cannot give to your children. Instead, try to focus on all the things you do provide your family every day. The negativity of going through a divorce can take a serious toll on your emotions. Children can be affected by the moods around them, which is why it helps to focus on the positivity around you.