Being a single mother and working fulltime is a difficult task facing many women today. It is even more challenging when that mother is sending herself back to school.
Children’s Expectations of Their Parents
Children expect their parents to be around for them in every situation; when they wake up in the mornings, to get them ready for school and be home when they get back. They also expect their parents to be at special events such as sporting activities at school, school fairs, plays, and recitals.
For a single working mother, these expectations of their children can be challenging. Earning enough money to take care of the family is paramount and sacrifices have to be made to fulfill these responsibilities. When the father is not around to help share some of the responsibilities such as alternate in spending quality time with the children, attending their special events and supporting the household financially, then the mother is expected to carry out these roles alone.
This might prove impossible for her at times and guilt can set in. The single mother might feel that she is not being a good parent and that she has let down her child. Here are a few suggestions to try and cope in this difficult role:
Single Mum Takes Day off From Work
If the single mother has a regular 9 – 5 job that sees her off on the weekends, she should make it her priority to spend some quality time with her children. This can be done by doing household chores together. When going to buy groceries, make a trip out of it if possible; take the children along to help with the shopping. Have a movie night and pop some microwave popcorn or some other snacks of the children’s choice and sit with them, watching a movie of their choice.
Dealing With Kids’ Special Events
Make use of vacation and casual leave from work when the child has a special event to attend and try to attend as many as possible. The ones that the parent cannot attend, she should ask a close family member or friend to be present to give moral support to the child.
The weekends can also be used to take the children to places such as museums, the zoo, theme parks, the movies, the beach or any other place of their interest. Also, it is good to include the children in vacation trips locally or abroad where possible.
Since children expect their parents to be around and it is not always possible, it is important for the single mother to make use of her days off from work including vacation leave. As children grow older, they will understand the situation a little more.
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