Being a parent is one of the most rewarding roles you’ll ever have. Raising another human being into a strong and capable individual involves so much love, care, and discipline. It involves a lot of patience and hard work too, though. Raising a kid just becomes harder and more challenging when you’re doing it by yourself. That being said, it’s not impossible. If you have a good plan of action, you can be a strong single parent and raise your kid right.
1. Create household rules
If you want discipline in the house, you’ll have to make it. Creating rules and assigning chores are great ways to show your kid they share the home with you. In other words, with these methods, you’re teaching your kid they’re responsible for the state of the house, too.
The chores should be in accordance with their personality and age. It can start by picking up toys then build up to washing dishes and vacuuming as they grow. This lifts some of the load off you and helps you keep a tidy home even at your busiest.
2. Learn to say no
The fact that we love our kids means that we would give them the world. Giving them the world isn’t always the healthiest choice, though. Instead, you’ll want to learn to say no sometimes. This teaches your kid some discipline and shows them that not everything will be handed to them in life. Sometimes they’ll have to work for things and other times they simply won’t get what they want.
Saying no saves you from dealing with a brat later on and teaches your kid not to be entitled, which will only serve them good in the future.
3. Set a positive example
Kids look up to us from a very young age and they learn by example, so it’s important to set a positive one. You’ll want to eat healthy, exercise, and lead a responsible lifestyle if you want your kid to do the same.
Even when it comes to just getting them to read more, you’ll have to pick up a book yourself.
4. Have some me-time
No matter how devoted as a parent you are, you’re still human. It’s completely okay to still have your own life, interests, and hobbies if you have a kid. In fact, it’s healthy. That being said, you should have at least one day of the week for yourself.
Do some shopping, read a book, take a walk- anything. Being a parent is a full-time job, and we all need our rest sometimes.
5. Set up a routine
Even though daily life with a kid seems chaotic, you’ll be happy to know kids thrive off of routine. Setting up a routine saves you a lot of time and teaches your kid to do things themselves. They’ll never have to wonder what happens next, as they’ll simply learn over time. First, we brush our teeth, then get dressed, then have breakfast. Soon enough, they’ll be able to do these things in order by themselves, leaving you more time to get ready yourself.
Furthermore, daily routines are useful because your kid will always stay occupied. There are no surprises and there’s certainly no room to be bored, thus minimizing chaos.
6. Involve your ex
No matter what you may think of your ex, they’re still your child’s mother or father. The child is too small to understand what happened between you two and all they know is that they love their parents and want to spend time with them. It’s much healthier for the kid to see both parents, even if they are just seeing your ex for one afternoon.
Even though this sounds okay in theory, it’s proven that seeing your ex again after a bad breakup is a global problem. Australians, especially, struggle with being near their ex, even if it’s for the good of the child. This is why most of them look up for reliable family law firms in Sydney and set the custody rules clearly. You can do the same. As everything will be according to law, you don’t have to worry about your ex stepping out of line when it comes to either you or your kid.
7. Talk to your kid
Last, but certainly not least, make sure to talk to your kid. People often underestimate how much children can take and understand, which is why they either lie to them to soften the blow or they don’t discuss certain things at all. The thing is that kids know exactly when you’re not telling the truth and will start seeing you as an unreliable source of information. Soon enough, they’ll find about the world from all the wrong sources like their equally uninformed peers or the internet.
Talking to your kid builds your relationship and enforces the mutual trust. There are no taboo topics, so don’t be afraid to communicate with your child about anything and everything.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are some sure ways of being a strong single parent. None of this is going to be easy, but we’re confident you can do it. Your kid is the most important person in your life, meaning that you’ll stop at nothing to make them happy. By becoming a strong single parent, you’re not only making it easier for yourself to actually raise them, but you’re also ensuring their happiness.