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Coping
As
A
Single Parent
R
EARING
a child is never
easy, but for one per–
son to function as both
mother a nd f a ther is t he
toughest job of a ll.
Yet it is increasingly common
today for a parent to find himself
or herself in this double role.
Those who have enjoyed the com–
panionship of marriage understand–
ably find readjustment to single life
difficult. Loneliness and
frustration often creep in.
The res ponsibilities of
shouldering the roles of
both mother and father
can be physically and emo–
tionally draining.
Spend time with
your children. Take
a drive
in
the
country, go on a
hike, spend a few
hours at the beach,
visit a museum or
have lunch in a
park.
Consequently, many parents in
this situation find themselves over–
worked, tired and, as a result, more
easily upset and irritable. Others
may sti ll be recovering from the
trauma of a divorce or the death of a
mate.
Children may suffer in a single–
parent home. They may have diffi–
culty being fully understood by a
parent of the opposite sex. A son, for
example, may find bis mother failing
to appreciate bis interests. Similarly,
a daughter may learn that her father
has difficulty understanding sorne of
her feminine needs.
The problem of adjusting can be
j ust as traumatic for a child having a
single parent of the same sex, since
the care of both parents was
designed by God to fulfill the emo–
tional needs of the child.
Often children with only one
parent have more difficulty at
school. A study showed
that single-parent chil–
d ren require more help
and attention from school
than they receive.
Sorne women may have
been so dependent on
their fo rmer husbands
that they · lack the right
kind of confidence to
make decisions for them–
selves and their families.
Often those with older
children must go out and
find employmen t. And
after many years at borne,
they may be out of touch
with the work environ–
ment or their skills may
be rusty or outdated.
Here are sorne practi–
ca! suggestions to help
you as a single parent
boldly face your responsi–
bilities.
Organize Your Life
Life sometimes may seem
hopeless and bewildering
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