Category Archives: Single Parents

Being a single parent isn’t easy. No matter how you got there, you’re doing a tough job alone. Get the help and support you need here at the Families.com Single Parenting Blog.

Study: Kids Raised by Single Moms do as Well as Kids Raised by Two Parents

A study that was published by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology found that children of single mothers are no more likely to suffer later in life than kids raised by a mother and a father “in terms of parent-child relationship or child development.” Researchers from the University of Amsterdam looked at 69 “single-mothers-by-choice.” By that, they meant women who knowingly chose to raise their child alone. The researchers also looked at 59 mothers from heterosexual two-parent families. All of the parents in the study had children between the ages of 1.5 years of age and 6 years … Continue reading →

Ways to Embrace the Ordinary

All of us spend our free time doing little things that we find amusing. We take a break and watch a funny video on YouTube. Or we spend time browsing through Facebook or Twitter and passing along whatever caught our attention. At the end of the day, this often leaves people feeling unfulfilled. One way to bring meaning to your life is to find ways to embrace the ordinary. You’ve got five minutes left on your break. Which would you rather do: watch a funny video, or read about a random conversation you had a month ago? Amie M. Gordon, … Continue reading →

It’s That Time of Year Again

Doing taxes can be intimidating for anyone, but as a single parent it seems that they become much more complicated and the task much more daunting. Most divorced couples switch off every other year claiming the kids. This can get rather complicated if you’re unfamiliar with filing your taxes. They ask all kinds of questions about who the child lives with and who provides more than half of the child’s expenses. Entering in this information can be tedious, especially if you aren’t the one that gets to claim the kids that year. Just because they live with you and you … Continue reading →

Teaching Responsibility Through Chores

We didn’t have a lot of chores growing up. Every Saturday we had to help clean the bathrooms, but that was about it. We helped a little here and there, but in the end, we didn’t do a whole lot to help around the house when we were kids. My mother tried, but after battling grumpy children for a couple years she finally gave up. In very little time, she had six spoiled teenagers who didn’t know how to cook or clean for themselves. I was the only one who had a consistent job through high school, and the others … Continue reading →

Getting Your Kids to Listen to You

I’ve been a little frustrated with my son lately. It seems like I have to ask him ten times to do anything, and even then he still won’t do it. He’s unbelievably stubborn; and too smart for his own good. That whole reverse psychology thing doesn’t work with him anymore. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve lost my cool with him before when he won’t do what he’s told, much less acknowledge that he’s even been asked to do anything. He’s a pro at ignoring. After our nightly shower battle, I finally decided to do a little research … Continue reading →

You are in Charge of YOUR Feelings

Kids are a handful. If you’re a single mom, you know that all too well. While my son and I have a very close relationship, there are times when he makes me want to rip my hair out. He’s four, that happens sometimes, it’s in their nature to misbehave and test their boundaries here and there. I have found myself saying, “Logan you are making Mommy really frustrated right now!” However, I realized just how wrong I really was. Yes, I am extremely frustrated with his behavior, but ultimately I am the one choosing to feel frustrated. He can’t “make” … Continue reading →

Are You Raising an Entitled Child?

It’s no secret that kids today have more than ever before. The majority of the elementary school classrooms I walk into have children with much nicer phones than I have. They also have ipods and all sorts of other things we didn’t have as children. They have no concept of the value of a dollar because things simply get handed to them without any expectation. As a parent we want to provide our children with as much as we can, but we also want to teach them the value of hard work. If you feel that your child may be … Continue reading →

The Measure of Success

I was talking to a dear friend of mine late last night. We both were expressing our frustration with the men, or lack thereof, in our lives. We both have had such a strong desire to find a good man to share our lives with and have tried our best to live worthy of such a man; a man who would love and support us, who would be a good father and husband. I realized before long that we had both equated our success in life to whether or not we would ever marry. We both had such an intense … Continue reading →

Learning to Love Your Body

We all know that motherhood comes with a price. Your body goes through a remarkable transformation as it prepares to grow another human being. If you are like most of us, you probably have a few battle scars to show for it. I’ve gotten used to my tiger stripes, but I still struggle with my post-pregnancy body. It’s been almost 5 years since I had Logan and I’m still not to my pre-pregnancy weight. I envy my friends who walk out of the hospital looking like a model in their size 2 jeans again. When I left the hospital I … Continue reading →

Singles Appreciation Day

Most of the year I don’t mind being single, in fact, there are a lot of things I like about it. I like having time to myself, I like being able to make decisions on my own, and most of all I really like the one-on-one time I get with my son because of it. However, being alone on the holidays can get lonely, especially on ones like today that are so focused on a love that isn’t in your life anymore. While everyone else is getting spoiled with candle lit dinners, you’re at home alone or taking care of … Continue reading →