Do’s and Don’ts for a Single Mother or a Single Mother to Be
Single Mother Do’s and Don’ts for Discussions and Moving Doors
The do’s and don’ts for a single mother could fill volumes of books that line the Great Wall of China. The theories that agree and disagree with those volumes would double that back. Carrying the fundamental do’s and don’ts for a single mother close to your heart can guide you in your responses to the most difficult decisions without shuffling through volumes of Dr. Spock and encyclopedias of Child Psychology.
Do’s and don’ts for a single mother are many, but they are few. The golden rule is the children come first. When logic freezes, just ask “Is this best for my children?” Dating, divorce and discussions are danger zones for the do’s and don’ts for a single mother. Anxiety, stress, worry and concern block forethought and logic, but there’s no avoiding them and you can’t vent to your spouse. Everything you do, no matter how big or how small, will influence your children in their actions and their adult life – and you won’t know how until they’ve grown up.
Do’s and Don’ts for a Single Mother Discussion
Single mothers have discussions with their kids that married women don’t. A discussion on where do babies come from will be slightly different for a child conceived from single mother artificial insemination, or a single mother by choice than it will be for a married mother of 2.5 kids. Age appropriate discussions are the rule to do when children start asking about babies. Just remember that once they hit school or are around teenagers, they’ll know a lot more than you think they will.
The Heritage Foundation published studies demonstrating that although 800 teens in a study were having sex, only 1/3 of the parents suspected they were. Keep in mind that 2/3 of teens have had sex before their senior year in high school. Have a talk with your teen on the disadvantages of being a single teen mother.
In the do’s and don’ts for a single mother discussion with your kids, do remember every word that leaves your mouth goes into the ears of your children and can never be extracted. When you want to yell, listen.
If you yell, take it out on the TV. Sex has doubled on the TV – and it affects your teens. A Journal of Pediatrics study compared teens who watched Sex in the City and their sexual activity. They found teens who regularly watched the show were twice as likely to get pregnant (or become an early father). Getting rid of the TV while the kids are young is one of the best things a single mother can do. A single mother works more hours than a married mother, and they don’t have the time to monitor the tube. Stick to media formats you can control.
Do’s and Don’ts for a Single Mother when Opening and Closing Doors
One of the easiest do’s for a single mother is to say I love you. When a door opens or closes and kids run through, kiss and hug the kids and say I love you - even if they’re just going outside to play. If you start young, it will become a habit when they get older. You’ll be able to smell smoke on their breath, and you never know when they could be walking through the door for the very last time.
Single parents dealing with children and divorce must always comfort their child. The fundamental do’s and don’ts for a single mother require you to listen to your child, not shun them. Their feelings are real, respect them no matter how illogical their fears seems. They are very real to them.
Single mother dating can make you forget the do’s and don’ts for a single mother. You and your date must always show each other respect in front of the children.
Do’s and don’ts for a single mother don’t have to fill volumes of books. Your children will learn to love from love. Do everything in love, and the rest will fall into place.
More on the Do’s and Don’ts for a Single Mother:
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