Raising a child is never an easy task. Effective parenting demands a lot of love, commitment, dedication, resources and can be burdensome especially for a single parent. A single parent may find it very difficult combining the roles of two parents in the child’s life.
Feedback and opinions on ReviewsBird.com reveal that situations for single parenting are persistently becoming more rampant. Every child deserves care, love, nurture, discipline, etc., and even though a single parent can be faced with enormous challenges in achieving this, he/she must still strive to be a good parent to the child. The single parent at first is usually bothered with many things on how to raise the child. Educational plan options have been sourced in a bid to provide easy alternatives to single parents in solving the issue of the child’s education without much stress.
Here are 5 tips which can serve as a guide and ease the burden of raising a child as a single parent:
1. Show Unrestrained Love
One of the key ways of practicing effective parenting is giving your child unconditional love. Being a single parent may demand you provide a double dose of love for the child. Love acts as the foundation upon which every other thing is built. Love builds bonds between the parent and the child. You should try as much as possible to ensure that the child does not feel the emptiness created by the unavailability of the other parent. It is advised you deliberately dedicate time to the child and ensure he or she does not feel lonely.
2. Create Quality Time
Another way of ensuring effective parenting is by creating time for the child. The child needs your presence and care. You should not abandon the child for long travels or vacations. You should always set your priorities right and put the child first. Your career or business should not divide your time so much as to make the child feel lonely and alone. Going to the movies, watching television shows together, playing in the park, going to the zoo, or reading a bedtime story together form the child’s happiest moment and you should be intentional about it.
3. Instill Discipline
Another great tip in achieving effective parenting as a single parent is instilling discipline in the child. Discipline is a great factor in raising a healthy and supportive family. Sit down with your child and explain the house rules and expectations. Caution the child. Inculcate obedience, respectfulness, consistency, courage, punctuality and other social virtues in the child. This should be practical. For instance, ensure that there are consequences for disobedience, so your child is aware of the limits. If they exhibit good behavior, show recognition and appreciation, so their confidence is boosted. In the same vein, when they act stubborn, you can deny them temporarily certain privileges, so they understand that their actions have consequences.
4. Ensure Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is paramount for you and your child to be productive in every aspect of life. This involves eating balanced meals, regular exercises, and getting a sufficient amount of sleep. The child should be taught personal hygiene and its benefits, the need for a clean and healthy environment and many more. Basic house chores should be taught to the child as well. Parents should watch out for ill-behaviors in the child and tame them as soon as possible. Their performance in school should also be monitored and if necessary, extra lessons should be provided.
5. Be a Good Example
Lastly, as a single parent, you should try to live up to standards as your child may be picking so many qualities from you. Unruly behavior should be avoided, especially in the presence of the child. Exemplify virtues the child can emulate. Enabling a transparent and honest home environment is vital for the development and growth of your family.
Bottom Line
Ensuring effective parenting, especially as a single parent can be very tasking. However, it should not create an excuse for bad parenting. It will demand love, commitment, dedication, care and resources. The tips above have been crafted to serve as a guide in making it easier.