Taking risks is one of those things that can feel like a slippery slope for the single parent. We hear from the popular culture that taking risks is a good thing, a person needs to let go, take that leap and go for it! But, when you are the sole support and stabilizing factor for a family that may have already been through major crisis, upsetting the apple cart all over again may not seem like a very good idea. This can cause us to get immobilized and so afraid of making additional mistakes that we resist taking risks at all cost.
There is such a thing as healthy and unhealthy risk-taking. Calculated risks often really do bring about positive change and help us keep moving forward and expanding our world and our lives. This is different from dangerous or ill-advised risks where we throw up our arms or leap before we look things over—these are the ones that can get us into trouble.
I know first hand the pressures of risk-taking for the single parent—people are constantly weighing in on both sides of the issue: “When are you going to take a chance and get involved with someone?!” and “Do you think taking on work where you have to travel out of the country once a year is wise for a single parent? What if something happens while you’re gone?” There are those who think I should really be out there, and others who think that I’ve abdicated my right to take calculated risks by becoming a single parent. The truth is, there are healthy risks, and there are unhealthy ones—and I get to decide what is best for me and my family. For the single parent, each big risk we take likely affects not just ourselves—but our children, our family stability, potentially our livelihood, and our family future. Of course, we’ll be weighing all of those things when we decide if a risk is worth it or not. But, we still need to take some of those risks that come our way—don’t let a negative past or feeling like you’ve been “burned” keep you from taking a healthy risk now and then—it’s what makes life worth living!
Also: Encouraging Children to Take Risks