These days, single parenting is becoming more and more common. Whether divorced, widowed, or single by choice, single parents are left to do a job for two which can easily become overwhelming and stressful, causing parents to sometimes forget and overlook the meaningful experiences that come with raising a child.Follow along with these helpful tips to help you stay more positive and stress-free while overcoming the difficulties and responsibilities of being a single parent.

1. Take care of yourself

First and foremost, you need to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. If you can’t keep yourself happy and healthy, how can you expect to provide happiness and health for your child? Pay attention to your basic needs, which can become all too easy to neglect. Make sure you are practicing healthy eating habits and getting enough sleep. Incorporate exercise in your life wherever it will fit.

2. Accept help

You should never feel ashamed of asking for help. Every single-parent needs help at some point, whether they need someone to watch their kids while they go out and run errands or they just need someone to talk to and offer mental support when they are feeling overwhelmed.

Delegate small roles and responsibilities to willing friends and family members. Hire a sitter. Just a little bit of help can make a huge difference and decrease stress levels. While it may seem dignifying to try and do everything on your own, eventually you’ll burn out. Asking for help takes a huge load off your shoulders and will even strengthen your relationships with those who are happy to be there for you.

3. Prepare for emergencies

Unexpected and unplanned situations come up all the time. Taking care of a baby while you’re sick is no easy task. It’s important to have a plan to fall back on during times like this. Develop an “emergency list” of friends and family members you know you can count on to answer the phone at any hour of the day.

4. Manage your finances

Supporting yourself as well as your children off of one salary can be tough. Maintaining your finances is one of the hardest aspects of single parenting. It’s important to try to plan ahead as much as possible for the future. Work on creating budgets for yourself and sticking to them. Think about long-term investments.If possible, consider increasing your earning power by going back to school or receiving additional training in your job industry. Any extra money that you can save or come by will go a long way in your mission to support your family.

5. Try to maintain a schedule

Maintaining and managing a daily schedule can help you keep it all together. Try scheduling time slots to run errands every week. Schedule a time to work out or get in some sort of physical activity. It’s easy to tell yourself that you’ll go when you have time, but if you don’t set aside a specific time for it, you’ll always think of something else that needs to be done! Schedules may seem daunting, but they can make day to day life run so much smoother.

6. Stay positive

It’s easy to become overwhelmed with all the responsibilities and demands of single parenting. Raising a child is no easy task and it can be even more daunting when you’re left to do it alone. Worry and stressing is a total waste of time and energy. No matter what you may be going through, it’s so utterly important to maintain a positive attitude for both you, and your little one!

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