Single Parent Holidays, as a phrase, is a bit of an oxymoron (you know, like ‘deafening silence’ or ‘ bitter sweet’). We can all be full of expectations of relaxing, reading maybe a bit of nail painting. But in reality, taking children on planes, trains, buses and expeditions when there’s no one but ‘little [...]
You know one of the reasons we can end up single parenting is that we no longer share the same values as our children’s other parent and our respect and understanding of that person alters to the point of break down.
So how do we keep improving the quality of our relationships (especially with our exes) [...]
How often do you decide that you want something different for your life? Better relationships with your children, ex-partner or friends. Better fitness, more money, a bigger house, a more flexible job, a ‘cooler’ wardrobe, a new relationship, or simply more ‘me time’.
Well, I’m here to tell you that you can have it [...]
Letting Your Children Go and Grow & Coping With Their Absence
There’s now doubt about it, when I first became a single parent, which was from day 1 ( I left my marriage when I was 3 months pregnant), I wanted so much to separate my ‘new life’ with my daughter (who I adored from [...]
I read books on metaphysics (the philosophy of ‘being’) on a regular basis. There’s a huge raising up of global consciousness around the fact that our limitations rarely come from our government, our society, our family or our friends. Our limitations come from our mindset. We can positively influence our mindset by choosing the environments [...]
The thing about single parents and work is that we’ve got to be way more innovative in our thinking and our dedication to delivering value to our workplaces. Those of the adult workforce who have 2 parents contributing to finances and to homemaking have a little more back up than most of us. So here’s [...]
We’ve all had feelings of guilt about the fact that we’re at work when our children are being looked after by other adults. At the outset of this phase for me (5 years ago), I found it hard to get my head around. But I’ve come to understand that there are benefits to being a [...]
1. Commit To Your Schedule
I remember going back to work after maternity leave (of about 14 weeks!) and how I had discussed with my boss before going back that I’d have to leave by 5pm each day, no exceptions. Anyway on day 3 of me being back my boss passes me in the corridor and [...]
One of my biggest challenges when I started to build a life as a single parent was to not compare myself with 2-parent families. They appeared to do things smoothly, effortlessly and happily. I struggled with everything: parenting skills, work, conflict with my ex, communicating with well-intentioned family, guilt that the nursery spent more waking [...]
1. Know What You Want
The first step towards getting what you want, is knowing what you want. I decided very early on that my business was going to support my time with my daughter and not suck away these valuable years with me at work while she was with carers.
Even in my salaried job (when [...]
Motivation in a Minute – Simple Skills to Self-Motivate and Mood-Regulate It dawned on me that there are some things worth mentioning around ‘motivation’ – how to access it and how to maintain it. Here are my top 5 tips: 1. Listen to uplifting music Whether it’s Mozart, Motorhead or Musicals, [...]
From Good to Great – 5 Simple Strategies for Successful Single Parenting
Some single parents have never had the other parent around, so they’ve only ever expected to get on with things alone. However, other single parents have had the experience of being part of a nuclear family and having a partner to share the load. [...]
Equipping Your Children for a Bright Future: 5 Simple Rules
When we have to be both mother and father for our children in their primary residence it can be a challenge to know how to supply nurture, encouragement, protection and provision in the right measures. Our children will continue to evolve physically, emotionally and spiritually over [...]
Ordered Home, Ordered Mind – 3 Simple Rules to Successful Home Balance
Before I had children, if someone had talked to me about ‘systems’ and ‘right ways’ to do things in my house, I’d have laughed my little cotton socks off. In my home, I’d lived on my own for over a decade and things got [...]
Top 5 Strategies – How to Communicate With Your Children’s Other Parent
I heard a journalist say recently that “there’s a vicious and respectless way of communicating that’s reserved exclusively for the ‘divorced with children’”. Ouch, that hurt! Probably because it’s so true. It doesn’t have to be like that and for the sake of [...]
The Rewards of Discipline
Discipline is a funny thing. It feels like a challenge when we’re in it, but often the rewards at the other side are outstanding.
Physical discipline – like exercising regularly and eating healthily – rewards us with a healthy body and loads of [...]
Part of my personal development regime is to read for at least 15 minutes per day and to meditate for an equal length of time. If that sounds like a discipline in any way – believe me it is! Can I just highlight that this is an intention and I’ve been practicing for years to [...]
