My kids are errand-running, task-helping professionals—I do not know if they would have had all the experiences they have had as my “right hand helpers” if I hadn’t been a single parent. My children have helped out with work projects (I’m not talking child labor here, just “helpers”), and we’ve cleaned closets, packed boxes, picked berries, you name it—together. Involving your child in the tasks and things that need to be done is one of the main ways a single parent can turn multi-tasking into quality parenting time too!
The thing is, we cannot get a babysitter every time we need to run to the store or get called in to do a little work on a weekend. At least, most of us are not in a position to do that and many of us don’t want to either. I actually want to, and enjoy spending time with my children. The reality of being a single parent has just forced me to find ways of getting what I need to do done, and including my children so that we can be together.
This may mean making things fun or balancing some work and play. There are definitely some things that kids enjoy helping out with more than others and I’m not going to lie—it does take some coordination and management on the part of the parent—but what else are you going to do really? Life isn’t going to stop just because there’s only one of us running our family. Overall, most kids want to feel helpful and they like being included in doing real, important tasks.
There are some things that can make multi-tasking with kids in tow easier—having a child-friendly job or flexible hours and schedules so that you can bring kids in after hours or on weekends, or take work outside the office; having an “emergency” bag of treats and things for kids to do if they get bored with the tasks at hand; balancing stuff that you need to do with things that they want to do (“After we do the grocery shopping and stop by the post office, we’ll go to the park and eat our picnic.”). Putting a little forethought and anticipating all the ways things might get off track, can help you prepare for multi-tasking with your kids.
Also: Allowing Your Own Parenting Style to Emerge
Why We Can’t Do It All, Even If We Want To