Anyone that gets divorced struggles to a certain extent. But, when you are a mommy to littles, you tend to struggle a little more since you are all alone.
Sure, you might have a custody arrangement that provides some relief. And hopefully, after hiring a divorce attorney that is compassionate about the sensitivity a divorce involving children brings to the table, you will find yourself with an agreeable custody arrangement.
That said, there are still times when you have to be a parent all on your own, whether it is 1 day a week or 7.
Today we are sharing some of the most common struggles single moms face today, as well as helpful resources for moving past these struggles.
1. Healing a Broken Heart
No matter the reason for your divorce, you are likely to experience a certain level of heartache afterwards.
Moving past this pain can be difficult as a single mom. After all, you have children to tend to. And, you don’t want your kids to feel like you are always sad or neglect them while you wallow in despair.
This makes processing the pain hard to do. Use resources such as this one and learn to be okay with not being okay. And understand that even if your children see your pain, this does not make you any less of a mother.
2. Learning to Parent…Again
As if being a parent is not hard enough. When you divorce the father of your children, you are bound to experience any number of challenges:
- How to balance everything, from work to being a present mother, all alone
- When to speak up about different parenting styles at your ex’s house
- Behavior outbursts that your child never exhibited before the divorce
- Emotions from older children that understand what divorce means
- Separation anxiety when your toddlers don’t understand why they have to be separated from you
It is important to show your children the loving, nurturing side of you while you help guide them through the divorce so they can be happy, well-adjusted kids.
3. Becoming a Working, Single Mom
Perhaps you had a job before your divorce. Or, maybe you were a stay-at-home mom and now have to find a job after having been out of the workforce for years.
No matter your situation, it’s different now that you are on your own.
Plus, since your income has likely been split in half at best, without the income of your ex contributing to the household anymore, it is likely that keeping a roof over your head, feeding your family, and providing essentials for them has become extremely difficult.
Look here for helpful clues as to how to budget after a divorce so that you can survive financially.
4. Dating
After a while, you might consider getting back into the dating scene. After all, your divorce does not condemn you to a life alone. However, involving children into your new dating life can get tricky.
Take it from the professionals and follow these simple and easy to follow steps to getting back into the dating scene after a divorce, even if you have kids.
In the end, divorces are nasty and come with a lot of pain, anger, and sadness. However, they also open your life up to new possibilities, even with kids in tow. Take the time to care for yourself, and your children, and you will soon find that though you new life is different it can be just as fulfilling.