Introduction
It is no longer news that there is a high percentage of single parents in the world. Government agencies use children protection Agencies to take children from their families. So what are the odds that a single parent can succeed in this situation?
I prepared this post to focus on steps that single parents can take to ensure that their children are well taken care of and to ensure that they keep them. Not that it really matters, but for the first 10 years of my life, I was raised by a single parent- my mum. So I can empathize with children in that situation.
Now to the post proper. Please note that financial and material provisions are very key to the development of children. However these are also very important
• Get more support: The reason for this suggestion is most single parents are tired by default and lack time. It is therefore necessary that they have a list of people they can trust and won’t feel embarrassed to call on in times of need. Preferably relatives or very close friends.
Single parents also want to train their children to help when necessary and applicable.
Can the noncustodial parent be of assistance? Usually, single parents are mums. If that is the case, if the father has legal rights to the children and in a good position to be of assistance, do not hesitate to distribute the load.
• Communicate effectively: This goes beyond physical contact and conversations. This involves being with your children emotionally and mentally no matter how tight your schedule is.
It is wise for single parents to create a conducive environment for open communication. Environment in this case is not necessarily just physical. It portrays the atmosphere of the home. A home where tension abounds will not allow for free to air communication between parent and children. A single parent should also avoid shunning the children when they make attempts to share their feelings.
They should be ‘swift about hearing while being slow about speaking’. I know it is hard but single parents need to filter the words they say to their children. Abuse of any sort would be counterproductive.
Parents do don’t want to confuse their position as a parent with that of a friend.
Love is very key too. Children need food to grow and live, similarly, they need assurance of love either in word or/and in deed from their parents.
It is also important for the parent to encourage the children to communicate with each other.
• Establish visible boundaries: Single parents should not give their children the room to misbehave repeatedly. By defining rules and the consequences of doing otherwise clearly to the children, single parents can mold their children to be disciplined adults in the future. Avoid being an ‘only talk parent. Single parents should strive to implement the set-out rules to the latter. However, they should be reasonable and should never attempt to correct or discipline their children in anger as it could produce negative results. It could be frustrating for a single parent to carry the responsibility of caring for their children alone. Granted, however, the fact that you are a single parent is not your child's fault. So please do not transfer the aggression to him/her. if you do, the Child Protection Agency would be more than willing to step in and you do not want that.
• Lead a sound life: It is often said that children tend to pick up or learn what you do more than what you say. Well, that is often true. So you single parents, hat kind of person are you? What are your goals? What are your habits? What are your priorities? What are your moral standards? How are your spending habits? Your children will learn more from imitating you than from what u say to them.
Conclusively, your child is your responsibility. Your child is your gift from God your child is your pride, your joy, your pain, your smile. Your child could be the only light in your life. Your child could give you a great sense of accomplishment. Your child is not the governments you play a massive role in keeping your children for yourself. You owe it to yourself to take care of your children. You owe it to your children to care for them. So I say, hold on to that little heartbeat of yours. Guard it with your life.
A big thanks to @canadian-coconut and @markwhittam for the initiative to develop this forum
#familyprotection.
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