Riding The Waves

Greetings!

If your children are small you are in a constant state of motion and the more they grow and older they become the more intense your lifestyle becomes.  Preschool is simply cute, sweet, and along with the inherent stress of single parenthood it’s probably still fun!  Then suddenly there is kindergarten where you find yourself switching gears to adjust to full or half day, how is my child adjusting, transportation to and from, and of course safe and affordable childcare if there is such a thing!

Then there’s middle school which comes of course with its own orientation.  More intensity in learning and homework, are they making good choices in friends, standardize testing, switching classrooms therefore more than one teacher. More afterschool activities particularly sports, greater emphasis on your child’s organizational skills.  Then there’s Middle School consisting of  what I just mentioned and more!

Now you have reached the overall pre-college or pre-tradeschool goal – high school where everything has intensified.  Questions such as affordability of college, accessibility of a good trade school, college  entrance exams, what if your child doesn’t want to continue his or her own education, are they making good choices in friends.  Each of these and more present a picture of what you are or at some time will be juggling as a single parent. Notice the recurring question regarding choices in friends?

Like me, more than likely you are too busy managing these stages to even be aware of what all you are indeed managing.  I therefore present this to you as a reminder of how absolutely amazing you are single mothers and fathers!

Are you tired? Probably. Are you at times exhausted? Probably. Do you sometimes wonder if you can get through it? Probably?  But do you ever entertain “quitting”?  Hopefully not and if you do please seek the mental health support that is available to you and don’t be embarrassed to do so. Your child’s school’s family life educator or social worker can help point you in the right direction or inbox me.

This is merely a “snip it” of your “life cycle” and regardless of how it seems I promise you it is in full motion.  Before you know it you will have surpassed each of these stages and like me, you will find yourself “juggling” in a completely different “empty nest” way. Still juggling all while riding a different kind of beautiful wave.

Let me know how you are doing!

Peace~