School Holidays for Single Parents

How is Single Parenting Different

• Single parents often have less support; parenting in a household where there is only one adult can sometimes become very stressful as all decisions, discipline, complaints from disgruntled children, carrying out punishments for bad behaviour, basically everything falls to one person. This can become tiresome, with the parent sometimes wishing for the support of another adult in the house to help share the load. They may have plenty of support outside the home but it still isn't quite the same as having another adult in the house.
• Children grow up faster;  children in single parent households generally grow up faster as they tend to fill the role as the other adult in the family. Children become accustomed to being expected to do more in the way of chores and helping in the day-to-day running of the household and for looking after themselves. Single parents generally tend to include their children more in conversations that they would normally share with the other adult in the house. As a result of often being the substitute for the other adult, children in single parent families tend to mature faster.
• Budgets are often tighter; considering the fact that that generally speaking a single parent household means only one income instead of two, the result means that budgets become tighter and the ability to finance things such as school holiday entertainment becomes more difficult. This can lead to added stress.
• Children get used to moving around more; with custody normally being shared between two parents  the child/ren involved and the parents get used to the children moving between homes regularly.

• Remember to have some "ME" time. Take some time for yourself once the kids are in bed to do something that relaxes you are recharges the batteries. This will help you cope better the following day
• Be clear with your expectations. Let the kids know what you expect of them and discuss their expectations of you with them. That way there are no surprises and no resultant tantrums or difficulties
• Make a budget. Make yourself a budget a stick to it. If you work the holiday expenses into your budget throughout the year it will spread the pressure and may even enable you to do more once the holidays arrive.
• Accept help. True, outside help may not be entirely the same as having another adult in the house, but if you have a support network, make use of it! Get the kids babysat or let the parents of a school friend take them for a day and then swap there is plenty of help out there, you just have to take it when its on offer and ask for it when it's not.