Helpful Tips for Transitioning to Being a Single Parent

The transition from married working parent to single working parent is a rough one, and it’s likely that you’ve got more on your to-do list than you can reasonably handle. Try to go easy on yourself as you navigate this change. It will be hard, but as you go through it, you’ll figure out what works for you and come out the other side stronger for it. We’ve compiled some of our favorite tips for busy divorced parents.

If you’re still in the thick of your family legal issues, make sure you have a dependable family law attorney on your side. Call Haygood, Cleveland, Pierce, Thompson & Short at 334-560-1936 to find out how we can help.

Stay Organized

Organization is key when you are juggling so many different roles. There are tons of different time management systems, so you really just have to figure out what works best for you. Some people do best with a paper planner, while others like keeping all of their tasks in Google Calendar. Some even manage to keep everything running smoothly with a running to-do list in their phone’s notes app.

Try different methods and see what helps you get a little more out of each day. The sooner you get into a good routine that you can maintain throughout the week, the easier it will be for you.

Prioritize a Healthy Coparenting Relationship

This one might make you groan if you just got out of a long and contentious divorce, but it’s true. If you already have so much going on, an unhealthy or adversarial co-parenting relationship is certainly not going to make it easier. It might even make it worse since you’ll always be listening for your phone to ring or a new unwelcome text to come in.

You don’t have to be best friends with your ex, but if you can get on the same page about your children and what they need, you can at least minimize the stress they cause you. If your relationship is eventually amiable or even friendly, you might even be able to rely on them to help out when the kids need it.

Seek Balance

Too many single working parents expect the world of themselves. They think that as the only parent in their home, they have to be “on” 100% of the time. You’ll just cause yourself to burn out if you put that much pressure on yourself. Aim for excellence, of course, but give yourself grace. You are one person, and your parents would rather have an imperfect but happy parent than a perfect parent on the verge of a breakdown.

Build Your Community

The stronger your support network is, the easier your transition into single parenting will be. That doesn’t necessarily mean family that lives near you, although they can obviously be an excellent source of support. You can also turn to friends, people at your church, a therapist, or neighbors.

There are different levels of support. It isn’t always about knowing you are the best or being there in your darkest moments. Sometimes you just need someone who can pick up your kids from school when you’re stuck at work, or someone who can listen to you vent about your co-parent so that you don’t bring that energy home to your child.

Handle Any Urgent Issues Immediately

If problems come up—late bills, a custody battle, or a schedule conflict, for example—take care of them right away. Your energy is valuable, and leaving problems unresolved will drain you mentally. That might mean turning to family for financial help, reaching out to an attorney when legal issues arise, or having a blunt conversation with your co-parent about ironing out scheduling conflicts.

While it feels scary to tackle these issues right away, it feels so much better once they’re done and off of your to-do list. The more you address issues like this, the easier it will get.

Looking for Legal Help? Contact Haygood, Cleveland, Pierce, Thompson & Short

Family legal issues can be even more draining when you’re facing them on your own. Make sure you have the support and guidance you need with Haygood, Cleveland, Pierce, Thompson & Short. Just contact us online or call us at 334-560-1936 to get started.