Each year, the month of September has its share of surprises in store for children and parents alike. To help you survive back to school as well as possible, here are some great tips for single parents.
Since the 1970s, the number of single-parent families has grown steadily. Of the 8.0 million families with children under the age of 18, there are now nearly 2 million families headed by a single parent, or around 23%. Most often, it is a woman who is at the head of this somewhat different tribe. A family becomes a single parent after a separation, divorce or the death of one of the two parents.
In the past, single parent families were singled out. Today the situation is very different. However, these families encounter various difficulties.
Indeed, the life of a single parent is far from being a long calm river, especially as the start of the school year approaches. The holidays are coming to an end and the month of September brings with it many changes and new challenges.
To help solo moms or dads survive this sometimes difficult stage, here are our best tips!
Pick up the pace
As September approaches, resuming a rhythm can be a complex task for children and parents alike. So in order not to cut too abruptly, it is best to do it in advance. Ten days before the start of the school year, reestablish bedtime and wake-up time for the whole family. Thus, you give your body and your mind time to get used to the rhythm that will follow you all year round. This technique will allow you to start the year in a more zen way.
Remember to remember:
- Children between the ages of 3 and 5 need an average of 12 hours of sleep per night.
- When the child is older (6 to 12 years old), he will need 10 to 11 hours of sleep per night.
A child who sleeps well is a child who does better in school.
Get organized
When you are a single parent, it is sometimes difficult to think of everything. So in order not to lose the thread, the essential is the organization. First step: prioritize, some self-imposed tasks are not so essential and can wait for the weekend, so during the week choose the really important actions. Second: anticipate, by preparing children’s outfits or the breakfast table in advance, you allow yourself time that can be very useful in case of unforeseen circumstances.
For an organization at the top, favor calendars, diaries or todo lists, on paper or in digital version, the important thing is to put in writing the various daily tasks.
Read also: On the eve of the start of the school year, more novelties planned for schoolchildren
Plan your children’s extra-curricular activities
Back to school is a new beginning, the perfect opportunity to reset the counters to zero and together build the perfect schedule for the whole family. And when you’re a single parent, it’s important to take some time for yourself outside of work and home. To do this, registering your child for an extra-curricular activity is the ideal option, it allows the child to discover a discipline and to socialize outside the school setting.
Whether sporting or cultural, there are many such activities: football, dance, horse riding, painting or even singing. Thanks to its multitude of forms, this hobby brings many benefits to young and old alike.
To discover the options available in your neighborhood and its surroundings, you can get information on the internet but also from your town hall. Every year many cities organize fairs / forums, during which different associations present possible sporting and cultural activities. This is the perfect opportunity for your toddler to discover new disciplines and for you to check timetables, prices.
While your child is exercising, it gives you the opportunity to find yourself alone and enjoy a moment of relaxation.
Read also: Back to school 2021: new financial assistance for families
Get up earlier
Don’t panic, be careful, the idea is not to deprive yourself of sleep but on the contrary to allow you to start the day serenely. By waking up earlier than your children, it leaves you alone a moment to find yourself. This is the perfect opportunity to take stock of your schedule for the day, to treat yourself to a coffee or tea, to take a shower, to get dressed and even to put on makeup, in the most complete calm.
By making the most of a moment for yourself before waking up your tribe, you can start the day in a more zen way and share stress-free family moments.
Create a network
When you’re a single parent, the hardest part is managing on your own. So to simplify your task, it is important to maintain a good relationship with your neighborhood or with other moms or dads at school. By creating a network of reliable people, you will be able to delegate certain tasks if you really need to. For example, by sympathizing with neighboring families, you may be able to arrange to take all the children to school at the same time and then perform a rotation.
The entourage is one of the keys to the serenity of a single parent, it allows you to know that even single, you are never really alone.
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