We often talk about organization and planning when it comes to a single parenting, and I do try to touch on ways to pay some attention to self-care. As a family, however, it may be time to figure out how to incorporate more comfort measures into your daily life and find ways to connect and nurture the family as a whole.
Comfort measures do not have to be expensive—of course, a dinner out or spending the weekend being pampered at a lovely spa are both nice, but not practical for many single parent families. Simple things like soup and warm bread around the living room or cooking hotdogs and enjoying them on the patio can add a great deal of pleasure and comfort to a hectic single parent family. It may seem like those leisurely things are better suited to a two-parent home where they have more time, money, and resources but we single parents can make a comfortable existence too.
Look around your house and your life to see how you can make things more comfortable and add comfort measures to your daily life—is it time for soft, new towels in the bathroom? Can you splurge on big bottles of bubble bath? How long has it been since you bought everyone new pillows or sheets? Ordinary things like making sure the house is a comfortable temperature is another way to make life more comfortable.
Think of the little things like having plenty of tasty beverages on hand (again, this doesn’t have to be expensive—a variety of teas and cocoa, or juices and lemonade) adds variety and selection; lots of pillows and blankets in the living or family room make it more likely that family members will lounge and relax; having some living space where there are no computers and video games can also add some comfort and peace to your home.
We single parent families do not have to be solely focused on efficiency and organization. Taking the time to pay attention to comfort measures and making life more pleasant and livable is an important part of improving our quality of life too.