One of the major “theme songs”, if you will, of a successful single parent’s journey could be “single does not mean alone”. I learned that early in my own journey after feeling totally overwhelmed by the sheer weight of all of the responsibility. What worked for me, and can work for you, is recruiting others who, though they are not responsible for your child(ren), are invested in them enough to support your efforts to raise them to be healthy and productive adults.
An African proverb states, “it takes a village to raise a child”. That statement refers to any child, every child, YOUR child. If that is the case, how then, as a single parent, are you expected to raise your child on your own? Single parents, take heart – you are not.
One of the most important and empowering steps you can take as a single parent is to make the conscious decision not to parent alone, and then make that same conscious effort to recruit people to be a part of your support network. Aye, this theory appears to fly in the face of “single ” parenthood but again, single does not mean alone. Single simply means one. That means you are the one person with the responsibility to ensure that you have a network in place to support you as well as your child. As phenomenal a single parent as you may be, both you and your child(ren) are going to need additional support. Extended family, friends, neighbors, teachers, clergy, mentors, support groups, etc will all play an important role in supporting you as you nurture your healthy family.
Your ease of establishing this network depends on both your current situation and the extra steps you are willing to take. If you are currently involved in several activities, view your associates with new eyes. What position can they play in your network? If you are not involved in activities, GET INVOLVED. Parenting classes, community athletics for your child, faith based activities, PTA’s, neighborhood associations, and so forth can all be fertile ground for recruiting members for your network.
Please feel free to use this site as a part of your network. Articles posted here will encourage and equip you for the single parent journey ahead.
Happy travels!