As they say, it takes a village to raise a child. Yet even with a village on your side you’ve still got your work cut out for you. As such, single parents face all sorts of hurdles and their parenting journey, especially somewhere like California.
Being a single parent something that requires an enormous amount of stamina and adaptability. Not just physically, but also emotionally. However, there are plenty of parents that manage to do it on their own and don’t just succeed but manage to surpass everyone’s expectations.
However, as a single parent, it’s best to know what you’re getting into so you have realistic expectations. There are all sorts of challenges that can come up that you may not have even considered could occur.
If you’re a newly single parent in California, here are some of the challenges you may face, as well as some ideas on how to successfully navigate them.
Emotional Well-Being
Make no mistake about it, being a single parent can take its toll on you emotionally. There are all sorts of things that can fall on your plate at any given moment. Whether you’re looking for a plumber in Studio City, or trying to find a babysitter on a Friday night, it’s not always easy to juggle at all on your own.
As such, many single parents find themselves reaching burnout at some point or another. That’s why it’s incredibly important that single parents create a support system for themselves full of plenty of friends and family members who can keep them going when things feel impossible.
Financial Challenges
One of the most obvious and well-known challenges of being a parent on your own is the financial strain. From filling your car tank with gas to paying for groceries, it all adds up.
Paying for life plus one on a single income is difficult enough as it is, however, in today’s economic climate parents’ financial strain can be more overwhelming than ever. With inflation on the rise, and the average salary failing to meet rising prices, single parents can find themselves spread thin trying to pay for it all.
Balancing Work
The younger your child is, the more difficult it can be to find a balance between your professional and home life. After all, kids require a lot of attention and care, and when you’re working 40 hours a week, school can only cover so much of the day.
Juggling a career with raising children can be a challenge because a lot happens outside of school hours. From extracurricular activities to school meetings, to making sure homework gets done, someone has to make sure these things get taken care of!
Single parents don’t have the luxury of balancing it all with another parent. Not to mention, someone has to put dinner on the table at night too. The lack of a partner to share all of these responsibilities with often requires creative thinking and double tasking.
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