Single Parenting: A Mix of Families on the Web
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 12.9 million single-parent families in 2006, including 10.4 million single-mother families and 2.5 million single-father families. Because these numbers are fairly substantial, more and more parenting and family resources on the Web contain a section devoted to single-parent families explaining what life is like as a single parent. This Web guide highlights some of the best.
Expand All Guide SectionsAdvice for Single Parents
Dealing with the responsibilities of child rearing as a single parent essentially doubles what you ... read more »
Resources for Different Types of Single Parents
Single parent families are created out of a variety of situations. If you’ve got questions ... read more »
Helping Kids Understand Your Family Situation
Perhaps one of the most difficult challenges of single parenting is helping a child understand your ... read more »
Balancing Work and Family
Even with the help of a second parent, balancing your personal, financial, family and work life has its challenging times. For single parents the challenge may be even bigger. Luckily, many other single parents have shared their tips and wisdom gained from several trial-and-error experiences with their kids.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Many single parents become masters in the art of multitasking. Remember that even working together doing chores or small repairs around the house can be a great opportunity to spend some time with your kids. Home improvement stores such as The Home Depot offer do-it-yourself workshops for kids at their stores.
- Many parenting and family magazines, including Parents.com and FamilyEducation.com, have a variety of articles dedicated to helping single-parent families adapt to their particular circumstances and function effectively. Even if an advice column in one of these publications is geared toward a more “traditional” family, you might be able to take even a small nugget of advice and adapt it to benefit your family.
- A spreadsheet might help you keep your family organized by charting and tracking budgets, chores and after-school activities. Google’s Docs and Spreadsheets is a free Web-based application that works well for this purpose.
- For advice on talking to your kids about other tough issues, and for lots of other great parenting help, visit the findingDulcinea Parenting Web Guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
For a list of general helpful hints …
The American Academy of Pediatrics
has published a short list of helpful hints for keeping you and your family in balance. Look for suggestions such as finding a support network and using it, keeping communication open with your children, maintaining discipline and treating kids like kids.
For help with family life …
Celebrating Children
is an online magazine dedicated to African American parents but the advice here can apply to any parenting situation. Read the “Parenting Solo” column by Angela Scott, a single mother who writes about her efforts to balance her work and family life. Although the column isn’t updated with predictable frequency, her advice is still valuable and lets single parents know that single parent life comes with “a rewarding mix of blessings and blues.”
For help with your finances …
Msnbc.com
relies on information from sources like “Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine” and Bankrate.com to create this list of “smart financial moves as a single parent.” Learn how to save money and time when running errands, making purchases, or paying taxes; how to help your kids understand a “newly single” situation; how to provide for your child’s future; and how to ensure you have sufficient insurance coverage.
The Single Parent Success Foundation
works to provide single parents with higher education opportunities so they can attain better paying jobs. This site is in its infancy, so check back often for updates and application information.
For advice about caring for yourself …
Single Parents Network
has a collection of articles dealing with multiple aspects of caring for yourself as a single parent. Read articles like “Put Your Bad Feelings In The Garbage Disposal,” “Things Are Good Because I Say They Are,” and “Turn Your Problems into Projects.”
Dating as a Single Parent
Dating as a single parent might be the farthest thought from your mind or it might be an aspect of ... read more »
Single-Parent Support
The Web is filled with message boards and blogs written by people who want to share their ... read more »
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