The responsibility of a father extends deep and far into a child’s life. This is why being a parent is a demanding job and it requires a profound and relentless supply of energy and love. For single parents that responsibility is greater because there is no one to share the work with. Single fathers face their fair share of challenges, but remaining conscious of a few important tips can help in alleviating them.
Your Health is Vital
Single parents have a tendency to forget about their own well being. They are so focused on the child and their needs. Single fathers often subject themselves to long periods of time without practicing any self care. Staying healthy will help you be the greatest parent you can be. So focusing solely on the immediate might seem like the easiest thing to do, but it will have consequences down the line.
The Spruce writes about the importance of self care for parents and divides it into five main categories that include: physical, emotional, relational, cognitive and spiritual self-care.
Physical Maintenance
Your physical health may seem easy to ignore, but piling on a lack of sleep or bad diet will accumulate.
Sleep: It’ll be hard to keep up with your sleep, but make sure you try to maintain a healthy amount of sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation a lack of sleep can contribute to depression.
Exercise: Physical activity is key to staying fit, increasing energy levels, and helping your body remain strong and resilient. While it might be difficult to fit in a regular exercise regimen into your busy schedule, consider working in physical activity to regular everyday tasks. Take a walk, run with your kid, and enroll your child and you in local YMCA classes.
Diet: Eating healthy is by far one of the most important daily decisions you can make. Implementing good eating habits is not only important for you as a single parent, but a good way to pass those habits on to your kids. Meal planning and cooking large portions once a week can be a good safeguard against last minute visits to fast food. You can even use the cooking day as good quality time with the kids, teaching them a few things in the kitchen. Follow a few easy ways to a healthier lifestyle.
Emotional and Spiritual
Taking care of your mental health is key. Of course, physical and mental health are connected and go hand in hand. It's important to give yourself a little time to forget daily stresses.
Do what you can to have some “me time.” Although it seems impossible, it is important that you maintain a sense of self and have some time to be alone, to reflect, and collect yourself. You can make use of small spots of time throughout the day to breathe in deeply, take a moment, or go for a short walk.
Don’t neglect activities you used to love. It might appear insurmountable to continue your occasional visits to the boxing gym or the golf course, but trying to keep some of these activities in your life can be a great way to rejuvenate. Consider making arrangements ahead of time for babysitters to revisit some of these activities when you can.
Don’t neglect your relationships and friendships.
Financial Considerations
Getting your finances under control is another important aspect of stress management and raising your child well. Could your income use a boost? Your own sideline might be the answer! Think about turning a hobby into a moneymaker, or picking up a new skill you would enjoy learning. Working on cars, making woodcrafts, raising honey bees, doing taxes — just about anything works as a side gig these days. And who knows, if it really takes off, you might be able to quit your day job! Just make sure you start out properly.
The most critical step is to legally register your new venture, which sounds hard, but it’s simple and affordable through an online service. When it comes to different business structures, consider the benefits of registering an LLC in NC, which include protection of your personal assets and ownership flexibility.
Once that is complete, create a business plan to help you define your goals, and consider building a website through a website builder. That way, future customers know where to find you.
Single fatherhood is a crucial job, but it’s not simple. The resources are out there, but the first step is to be willing to accept that you will occasionally need help or will need to step back. The importance of your mental and physical health are necessary for such a demanding job.
