It is important, as a single parent to make sure you take care of yourself. You health and well being, both physical and emotional are very important. If you have a problem, so does your child. It is impossible to stop every issue before it becomes a problem. We all have money struggles, work stresses and maybe even health issues. These should not become our children’s worries.
As the only parent in the home you are the one your child leans on and looks to for guidance. If you are so preoccupied by a problem that you can’t give them your full attention, your children are going to suffer. When you are struggling your children will sense it, no matter how you try to hide it. This will make them anxious and fearful. This can have a negative impact on the rest of their lives. Children need to be able to relax and be kids.
It is important to talk to your children, in language they can understand, without passing your stress and worries on to them. If you don’t talk to your children, their imaginations can devise far worse scenarios.
It’s ok to say that you are stressed because of a problem at work, but make sure that you tell them you can handle it and you are working on finding a solution. The same goes for health issues, let them know there is a problem, but also let them know that your doctor is taking really good care of you and you are going to feel better in no time.
Take care of yourself. Get plenty of sleep, regular checkups and try to reduce the stress in your life. Get a massage or just spend the day with a good friend, anything that tames some of the stress you are feeling. Most importantly, hug your kids, they really are our best little stress relievers.