Seven Stress-Reducing Tips for Single Parents
In the last two
entries, we’ve talked about how single parents can cope with the stress of
parenting. Here are some additional suggestions from Making Children Mind
Without Losing Yours, by Dr. Kevin Leman, author of 21 books on marriage and
family.
Single parents are not doomed to a second-rate life. But their lives are full of stress. Many in high-stress lives learn to hum along at a rapid pace. They get so used to it, they don’t even notice how stressed they are. Often, it takes some kind of breakdown – emotional, physical, or relational-- to let them know.
- Be aware of your stress levels.
- Get seven or eight hours of sleep a night and eat three square meals a day. Avoid snack foods and fad diets.
- If you can’t get to a gym, play with your kids, but find some regular time to be active.
- Learn to say no when people ask you to do time-consuming things. Recognize that you can’t do it all.
- Monitor when you feel especially stressed and take a mental mini vacation.
- Enlist your kids’ help in coping. Declare the first half-hour after you get home as “quiet time.” You are not to be disturbed. Kids learn that their lives are much sweeter if they give mom some down time.
- Pamper yourself a little. Find small indulgences that make you feel like a million bucks even if they cost seven-fifty. Get dinner delivered, get a pedicure, take a warm bath, go to a concert with friends. Budget some time and money for your own simple pleasures and don’t feel guilty about it.
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