

Nearly 14 percent of the children aged up to 15 are raised by a single parent, an international study shows. Most of the single parents are moms and they face some unique challenges. If you’re trying to be everything that your child needs and you’re alone, you know these challenges really well.
It’s a fact that the children of single parents may have bigger struggles than others. Some studies, however, show that they usually grow up to be more responsible than their peers. Being a great single parent is possible but it can be draining. Providing for the family, being there for your child, dealing with stress and loneliness will definitely get to be too much on occasions. This is why you need to familiarize yourself with the best techniques for coping with the challenges of being a single parent.
The Most Common Challenges that Single Parents Face
Single moms and dads have to deal with various issues that couples raising children don’t experience.
Changing Your Mindset
The first step towards being a successful parent and a happy person involves changing your mindset.
For a start, determine what your priorities are. These are the things you should be focusing on. Everything else is secondary. Don’t spend your time and don’t waste your energy on things that don’t matter in the long run. You’ll find yourself to be a happier person, once you set your priorities straight.
Boundaries come right after priorities when it comes to changing your mindset. These are the ones that you should work on together with your kids. You deserve some “me time” to be a functional parent. Let kids know about your responsibilities and about theirs. Everybody in the household should have a role. Working on happiness and growth together is the best way to make it happen – you can’t handle everything on your own.
The final and probably the most important thing to remember is that you deserve happiness. Don’t turn yourself into a martyr. Your kids will turn out just fine, even if you give yourself a break now and then or you go on a date. The sooner you start believing in those things, the happier and more productive you’re going to be.
Seven Tips for Overcoming the Challenges
A changed mindset isn’t sufficient to address all of the challenges you’re going to face as a single parent. You can come up with a couple of additional coping strategies:
These shortcuts will definitely take some of the stress away. We have to be honest – it’s not going to get easy. Still, by focusing on change and structure, you can enjoy a happier life. Both you and your children deserve it.
About the author:
By the Couple Clinic, a company of Winnipeg marriage therapists (www.winnipegcouplesclinic.ca).
Protecting your skin should be a priority throughout the year. One of the first lines of defense for protecting your precious skin is sun protection. This type of protection can come from covering up with clothing, lotions, makeup or what most people use–sunscreen. There are dozens of choices when it comes to sunscreen, so it is important to know what to look for before you shop.
– SPF Numbers
The sun protection factor (SPF) number will tell you how much protection a sunscreen product provides. In general, if you are not planning to be out in the sun for long periods of time, you can use an SPF of around 15 and get the protection you need. However, if you plan to be in the sun for more than two hours consecutively, you should choose an SPF 30 or higher. For thin-skinned areas on your body, you can also go up as high as an SPF of 50 for maximum protection.
– UVA, UVB and Broad Spectrum
Another element of an sunscreen that you should look for is what it actually protects your skin from. A decade ago, most sunscreen products only protected the skin from UVA rays, though UVB rays are also just a dangerous to human skin. Now you have many more choices to find products that cover all of these sun dangers. These products should say on the label that it provides broad spectrum coverage for both UVA and UVB rays.
– Additional Features
Many lines of sunscreen also boast additional features that you may be interested in trying. Many well-known brands offer features such as water resistance, sweat proof and gentle on skin. If you have sensitivities to certain skincare products, you may also want to look for a brand that provides an all natural sunscreen that does not contain any harsh active or inactive ingredients.
Protecting you skin is essential to not only keeping your skin looking young and healthy, but it can also help you avoid the instances of dangerous medical conditions in the future, such as skin cancer. If you start a healthy sunscreen skincare routine, you can help protect your skin throughout the year.