Single Parent Syndrome
For the child of a single parent, things just don’t go easy. Whatever the reason for being a single parent – whether a separation, divorce, being abandoned – growing up without one parent can always be difficult and feel not quite complete. If the fact of having a single parent also meant that there was stress in the home, this further adds to the child’s trauma. Both the parent and child are often misunderstood by society and the rest of the family and this all results in the child growing up in the path that leads to disorder problems. It is as hard for the single parent as well.
Research is firm on its findings that more children from single parent households develop problems in adolescence than children from normal homes. Single parents may disagree but the figures prove different.
To start with, the time available for parenting activities is less. It is bad enough when both the parents are present, but doing everything all alone is tougher. The single parent therefore has to systematically find time for everything. Daily and weekly schedules of all activities, including time for rest and relaxation must be drawn up and adhered to. Money is also a major issue with a single parent. You have to think of not just how to meet expenses but also how to save.
It’s even worse if the situation was brought about by death because then there is sorrow and loss to contend with too. While friends and family can extend some support during this transition period, to avoid complications later, the parent and the child must learn to support and console each other. This will reduce the time taken to get back to normal.
A feeling of loneliness and a sense of rejection are normal. Joining groups or church activities helps to mitigate some of the loneliness and also builds up a support system. Make exercise a part of your daily routine too. You need quality time with your child with open two-way communication and this will ensure that the child gets the attention that it deserves. This will prevent later misbehavior, like dropping out of school, early pregnancy and juvenile delinquency. Doing things together and monitoring the child’s progress in the school will be of great help.
A number of options are available for a single parent. Support groups of single parents, the PTA, and other community organizations will enable the parent to get answers to common problems faced by parents. The modern miracle of the Internet offers websites, as well as forums and chat rooms that the single parent can get support from.
Understanding the single parent’s mental health and psychology enables us to interact with them better. Single parenting offers a great challenge that has to be tackled with limited financial and time resources. Combined with raising a child this can be extremely taxing, but with the support of understanding and sympathetic friends and family, this can be achieved.
