Single Parenting

Chapter 5 Problems Associated with Divorce

I am interested in looking into divorce and sing parenting because there are so many people in the US that are going through this. I was fortunate to grow up with married parents, but so many of my peers struggled with divorced parents or death of a parent.

Single Parenting
Single parenting is not an easy task. Not only do you have to support yourself, you also have a child to support and raise. Single mother Christine Coppa shares her advice with parenting.com. One piece of advice she shared was to find a job that fits your family schedule. I know from experience that nothing is harder than to get yourself and two kids ready in the morning. If you can barely get from work to pick your kids up on time, maybe it is time to rethink the schedule. Coppa also states that it is important to have kid free time to unwind. We all have had those moments that we get overwhelmed and do something stupid. If you are married, you are likely to get a babysitter for date night, why should that stop you from going out when you are a single parent? It is impossible to be there for your kids if you are responsible 100% of the time. One more piece of advice Coppa shared was that if there is no father/ mother figure in your kid's life, make sure to put positive example in place. The last thing you want is for a child to think poorly of men simply because they had not fatherly influence in their life as a kid.
Being a single parent is a job of it's own. Do not allow it to rule your life. Be there for your child, but at the same time be conscious of how you are doing. If you know single parents, offer to help. If you don't want to watch their kids, invite them to go out.

Divorce

Parenting Through Divorce

Marriage does not always work out, but sometime the split is not only about the couple. Divorce does not only effect the couple, it also effects the children. My hope is that I will never have to go through a divorce, but you never know. According to Marlene Moses, "children not living with both biological parents are more likely to experience psychological struggles and academic problems." She continues on to say "teenagers with divorced parents are 50 percent more likely to drink alcohol than those with married parents. Children of divorce also are more likely to experience divorces of their own down the road." Children are greatly influenced by their parents. It is not easy for them to see their parents fight. Even if the parents do not bicker, they still are effected by the shift from one house to the next. According to Moses, even infants react to divorce. All age groups respond to divorce differently and will continue to be effected as years pass. If a parent has gone through, is going through, or may go through a divorce, Moses advises to go to a divorce practitioner so they can assist you in a parenting plan. It would also be good to handle your own emotions.
http://children.webmd.com/kids-coping-divorce?page=1
This link is nice to look at if you have children with the partner you are separated from. It is important to keep the peace for your kids.