Raising a child on your own is hard. We all want our children to grow to be strong, well rounded, well adjusted individuals. In a perfect world your child would have two parents who are active participants in his or her life. In the real world that is not often the case. As single parents we need to put forth a little more effort to make sure our child has the experiences and relationships that will help her develop into the person she should be.
Children do not need perfect lives but they do need some things to help them grow. The number one thing our children need is consistency, in routine, in their home life, in discipline and expectations. Children need order in their lives, they need to know that we are there to set boundaries and help them do the right thing.
Our kids need a strong, continuous relationship with an adult who loves them and thinks they are special. They also need interaction with adults that is positive, engaging, stimulates their minds and thought processes and helps develop their morals.
Strong friendships are vitally important, as are community ties. Get your child involved in scouting, dance, community theater, whatever they are interested in. Also, volunteer with your children, this helps them think about someone other than themselves and helps them learn empathy.
Children need to be protected from people and environments that are harmful to them. It is our job as adults to decide who and what those things are. We also need to make sure their health and educational needs are met.
If we do these few things it will go a long way in helping us raise our children. Many different situations provide new and different opportunities to learn and grow, for example, volunteering helps our children learn things that we could never teach in the home. It’s one thing to tell a child that some children don’t have homes or video games but when they help collect items for a clothing drive for a homeless shelter and go to deliver those things they see firsthand that homelessness really does exist. They learn that the less fortunate are not in some remote country but right here at home. You may be surprised at the ways your child comes up with to help other children.
Get your kids involved, get them out into the neighborhood, meet new people, have new experiences. Everyone has something to teach us, give your child the opportunity to learn.