Parenting is one of the most exclusive and a wonderful experience. Parenting does not only involve the growth of your child, but yours as well. The way you go through the whole experience carves your own personality. You tend to make mistakes, and learn, and then again make a mistake, only to now, not repeat it again. While parenting your child, you tend to learn to teach them and be taught by them as well. The whole experience of parenting is beautiful, worthy and amusing. However, if parenting is done by a single parent, the whole story turns upside down. Let’s see how and what single parenting is all about and what you should do in order to be at your best while single parenting.
1. Assure your child that you are the ‘one’ :
Talk to your child often about it. Tell him, assure him and convince him that you are his parents and he need not feel like deprived of something. Assure him that you are both his mother and father and never let him realize that he has something missing from his life. Be frank and open to him regarding all the issues that a father and mother, both would have handled separately. You have to be very broad minded and more than anything, friendly. You have to urge him to share every bit of his with you. You have to talk to him even on the taboo like matters. Your friendly behaviour, openness and casual attitude will help our child be closer to you.
2. Make plans and plan surprises :
Although, being a single parent means busy work schedules and comparatively lesser money sources, but still you need to realize that there is life beyond. It might be tough for you to juggle between things, but you need to understand that it’s just the beginning of your child’s life and he needs to be explored to a numerous of things. You cannot sit back and feel satisfied about the fact that you are able to earn him a living, give his school fees, get him good clothes etc. There is a lot beyond these things that your child requires and wants. Try to often make plans of going out, visiting places that he has never seen before. Explore him to various corners of the city and surprise him by not telling him your plans before you actually jump into his school after holiday to take him to visit places. Such surprises will make him feel cared for and pampered.
3. Have him play his way :
Let your child go out to play with friends. Let him mingle with people outside and feel comfortable in a social environment. Invite his little friends over to your place that he wanted in his life, have them play and eat. This way, your child will feel good and satisfied about his life. Do not hold him back or restrict him too much just because you are a single parent and the only one to look after your child. You need to understand that if life is unfair to you, then you need not pass it on to him. In fact, you must make sure that your child does not feel to be unfortunate, anyway.
4. Have his perspective :
You might not want to see your ex’s face, but you need to understand that your child has an all different equation with that person. Have his perspective and keep away your personal grudges. Behave decently with your ex in front of your child and let him talk the way he wants. Do not feel insecure and again hold him back from meeting the other parent. Have faith in your love and be firm to his wishes.
5. Inspire and influence :
Inspire your child and influence him. Now that can be done in many ways. Suppose, your child is having his final exams and you want him to fare well. So, tell him that if he will make it this time, he will be rewarded with something great. Or tell him frankly how you used to have difficulty while preparing for exams and then what did you do to make it. Do things that are inspiring such as feeding street dogs everyday with your child, going out to distribute clothes to the poor etc. These things will inculcate similar habits and values in his mind as well.
Single parenting might be challenging, but is extremely rewarding and satisfying. It will only make you feel better about yourself and even more confident than ever. Leave your insecurities behind and just go your way!
