Greetings!  In a couple of weeks most schools will begin their holiday break. Some of you might be looking forward to this time and for other single parents it might represent an increase in stress. I thought to share a few ideas of fun activities you might consider to help you get through the holidays with as minimal stress and cost as possible.  For me and my son, living in a winter climate offers both challenges as well as unique activities so it was always a time for creativity. Disposable income was never in excess so one of our favorite things to do was sledding! My son and I spent countless hours enjoying this winter fun sport! All you need is the proper winter gear for warmth, a good sled which is a great investment because they are durable and you never outgrow them-that infamous “Radio Flyer”, and a good hill!  If cost is a concern don’t forget to check out your local thrift store where you can find barely used “treasures” others have tossed away.  In addition, your local library, children’s museum, and “Y” often offers great activities for children and they are without cost. For those inside days, head for the kitchen and bake cookies. Involving your child in this activity allows for much meaning regardless of their ages! I always loved every minute of baking cookies with my son.  Would love to hear some of your ideas and thoughts of what you plan on doing over the holiday break.  Happy holidays!

Greetings! This time of year brings about many various celebrations from varying cultures. Whatever your personal practice, it is my hope this season will provide you a time for deeper self reflection as we continue an appreciation of all things that strengthen our lives. Hanukkah begins on December 6 and ends on December 14, 2015. Happy Hanukkah everyone!

The holiday season is upon us and can bring a lot of stress for various reason. Finances, estranged relationships, loneliness, family conflicts, are just some of the things that can affect our spirit. I have always loved the “magic” of this time of year, deeply rooted in the way my precious late mother and father made everything seem and feel so special. In raising my son as a single parent, I continued such tradition and incorporated the celebration of Kwanza to make it even more personal and meaningful to our culture. I thought to share a few tips to my single mothers and fathers, to not only get you through this season, but to lessen and maybe even avoid stresses altogether: Be fair and cooperate as much as possible with the other parent regarding visitations; togetherness with your children and others you love are to me what the season is about, so do your part in communicating with those who love you in order to plan that dinner and or spend whatever quality time together; keep spending at a minimum-that is not what it should be about, one of the most special gifts I ever received as a child was a hand made doll from my beloved mother. He has made several moves with me and brings me a sense of comfort even though I am well into adulthood. Doing things together with close family and friends, a “gratitude tree”, a special movie, playing games, are just some ideas to foster closeness without going into debt which may cause you significant stress when the season is over.  And remember, regardless of your feelings for the “other parent”, never foster a wedge between him or her and your child/children.  After all, that other parent is indeed, the “other half”.  Let me know what you plan on doing with your family over this holiday season.  Happy holidays!

Hi!

Tomorrow begins the start of another school year, and for many of you it might be the “first” of several milestone in education such as preschool, kindergarten, transitioning from middle school to junior high, from junior high to high school, or the senior year. Wherever you are in this journey, I wanted to wish you a great “send off” with positive thoughts of a wonderful school year for both you and your child! Let me know how it went and remember-YOU are their first teacher. Learning begins at home!

A nation wide press release for “Single and ApParent” has just gone out to over 500 media outlets nationwide!  More great news to come so stay tuned and connected with me!

Welcome. My name is Benita Jasper, author of Single and ApPARENT. I’m so happy to have you as a visitor to my blog about my new book! This project is very special to me, and I hope to share some of that excitement with you here.

I’ll be using this blog to interact with you about single parenting, expanding on some of the topics in my book, Single and ApPARENT and posting on some of the ideas related to my book. This is a great place for you to get to know me, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you, too. What did you think of Single and ApPARENT? What questions do you have for me? How do you relate to my book?

I’ll be returning here frequently with new posts and responses to feedback from you. Until next time, tell me a little bit about yourself.