I know that talking about home as a safe haven and a safe place might seem incredibly obvious but I do think it is worth repeating. As single parents, we might be so focused on survival or feel like our children go back and forth between houses so which one is home? Hopefully, if our children do go back and forth they have two homes and each of those homes should be a safe, inviting, and nurturing place.
A safe place does not mean that you have to have fancy furniture and an expensive home. In fact, it might be a little shabby and still be reasonably clean and welcoming. Think of some of the most welcoming and cozy places that you have been to; the places where you felt the most safe—chances are they were not the most luxurious and fancy places you have ever been in!
A safe place means that you create a home where your children feel safe and nurtured—not just physically, but a place where they can express their feelings and emotions and know that they will be listened to and that the parent will attempt to understand and express sympathy and empathy. This does not mean that we ALWAYS understand or that we always know what is going on for our kids, but if we create a haven where they can express themselves no matter what, we can keep the lines of communication open and create a world of acceptance.
A safe place is a where the children have their needs met and know that the grown-up will BE a grown-up—providing care, discipline, concern, and love—taking care of what needs to be taken care of so that the child can focus on being a child. After a change in houses or a death, separation or divorce, it is incredibly important that we do whatever we can to create a safe haven for our family.
See Also: Be Prepared and Home Blogs