Single parents

Are you a single parent?

If so, what is your biggest parenting challenge?

I am a single parent and my biggest challenge is "discipline". For several years my ex and I were not on the same page in regards to disciplining our daughter.

In the last few years, we have started working together in setting rules and consequences and following through with them at both places.

I am a single mother and basically always have been.

My biggest parenting challenge has always been my health... and feeling so fatigued all the time that I get crabby with my kids 'cause I just don't feel well. :( I hate that. The hardest times were when I felt so bad and was so tired that I could barely take care of myself, but had to take care of them when they were sick.

But, not meaning to sound boastful, I have to say that I feel I have done a great job overall. I knew in the beginning that I had to remain firm and consistent. I suppose I have been somewhat strict with them. Oh, there are times when they twist my arm and talk me into stuff ;), but they know who is the boss around here. :p

To be honest, I have enjoyed the fact that neither father ever really played a role in the rearing of my children. My first husband left when our son was 13 months old and hardly saw him in the first 9 years of his life. My second husband left when our daughter was 20 months old and likewise, has hardly seen our daughter. So, everything fell on my shoulders. I really have enjoyed not having to be put in a situation where I had to agree with someone else on how to discipline them.

My greatest sense of accomplishment was watching my son graduate from high school, and now watching him in his 3rd year of college. And, when my daughter graduates, I will be beside myself with joy.

I was a single parent from the time my daughter was 11 on. I had very little interaction with her father after the divorce. He quit seeing my daughter when she was 13. It was never easy disciplining a teenager on my own because she got quite rebellious (as they are prone to do) and I ended up having to put her in a psychiatric hospital at age 15 for a while. She is now a few days away from 26, and I have to say that it is still difficult to be single and deal with her, because now SHE is a single mom and I feel a responsibility for my granddaughter too. My daughter doesn't live with me, but she depends heavily on me emotionally and sometimes financially and it's all a bit much at times.

It's frustrating to have a kid who made a lot of adult decisions when she was not an adult.

Is keeping up my house and everything I have to do.

As I am a teacher, the discipline is fairly easy because I am trained for dealing with children.

I am having trouble with organizing my time with cooking, cleaning, paying bills and fixing stuff around the house.

I have just posted a thread to this regard.

Originally posted by littleowl
Is keeping up my house and everything I have to do.

As I am a teacher, the discipline is fairly easy because I am trained for dealing with children.

I am having trouble with organizing my time with cooking, cleaning, paying bills and fixing stuff around the house.

I have just posted a thread to this regard.

Me too... those are my biggest issues. Additionally its the running around... its so hard when you have so many to be everywhere if you are only one parent.

Originally posted by littleowl
Is keeping up my house and everything I have to do.

As I am a teacher, the discipline is fairly easy because I am trained for dealing with children.

I am having trouble with organizing my time with cooking, cleaning, paying bills and fixing stuff around the house.

I have just posted a thread to this regard.


Why didn't I think of these issues, too? For me, they are a result of my constant, overwhelming fatigue.

*going straight over to that other thread now*

I, too, am a single parent, and have been mostly the entire time.

The relationship with my oldest son's father ended when he was 9 days old, and he basically hasn't been involved in his life since.

My husband..well...he wasn't around 3/4 of the time, and when he was he just wasn't a parent. We had an on-again, off-again relationship for the last few years before our divorce, but definitely more off than on.

It's true, its very difficult to get everyone where they need to be on time when you are only one parent. However, now that my oldest is 17, he is able to help out with a lot of that by driving himself to things, and taking and/or picking his sister up from things if he is able.

And, as with Kelley, the struggle financially has been an ongoing thing. I have spent years torn between working overtime or working two jobs and not spending enough time with my kids, or spending more time with my kids and doing without some things.

Also, like Whiterose, I was kind of glad the children's fathers were not involved. But then it makes it really difficult now to let someone come into the family and have some sort of "adult" role with the children. I have a very hard time adjusting to that.

We still share a roof, but really, as long as my children's father is living he will always be a co-parent to our children.

As for the changes we need to make over time, I'm sure that financially and emotionally there will be difficulties as the situation changes.

But I'm not solely responsible for parenting our children.

Yes, I'm a single mom. Heck, I was a single mom even when I was married to their father. :rolleyes:

My youngest, my daughter, just turned 17. She's been the greatest. Always a tremendous help to me, even going over and above what was expected of her to do. As far as I'm concerned, she is welcome to live at home as long as she feels the need.

My 2 boys are as different as night and day. The oldest one has a family of his own, and rarely comes around to see his mom, even though he lives but 20 minutes away. He kind of took 'sides' when I divorced his dad. *sigh* I just have to give him time to find that their are no sides to take up.

My other son and I have always been close, and although he's been living with his girlfriend for 3 years, he finds time to visit me most days of the week. He'd do just about anything to help out... but it does sometimes take a bit of 'encouragement' depending on what it is. :p

Single mom here too.....

I have 3 kids 2 daughters 12, and 4. Also a son 3. My hardest thing to deal with is finances, but I also have all the other problems stated.

Time needed to get everything done......there is never enough.

Along with that comes being tired.......I'd give anything to have 3/4's of the energy my younger 2 have.

Also one other thing.......finding time for myself.......being able to get away and relax and unwind sometimes can be like pulling teeth.

I also have had no contact with my oldest daughters father in 12 years, and my younger 2's dad every once in a blue moon. Which most of the time tends to end up being more of a pain my behind, and hurting the kids more than it is worth even messing with. Needless to say it will be a very long time before I deal with him again, if in fact ever again.

Raveness