They say that mother is to a son, and father is to daughter. Well, that may somehow be true; however, a challenge may arise if it’s the other way round, that is, if you are to raise both genders as a single parent.
And naturally, it is the norm of society to liken single parenthood with mothers. That, however, is not always the case, since single fathers lead over 2.5 million households in the US alone.
Talking of single dad, is it easy raising children as a single dad? Well, frankly speaking, it requires one to deal with both physical and emotional causes, a severe state in parenting.
Therefore, there are several guidelines that you have to take note of if, at all, you’ll successfully endure the challenges of single-parent fatherhood.
The Child Should Come to Terms with your Rules
Remember, you are the head of the house; therefore, you have to put down your expectations from the children, and they ought to adhere to the regulations.
The rules may relate to the daily life of both of you, but what’s important is that you talk it out so that they ideally make it out.
And of course, you’ll discuss the rules depending on ages and development levels of the young ones.
And maybe later on, when it’s evident that they are mature enough, you’ll start giving them new responsibilities to begin equipping them for “life.”
By doing so builds their personalities, and at the same time, provides them with autonomy. Now, you see the importance of sticking to your rules?
Establish a Robust Relationship with your Children
One of the best ways of achieving such a bond is by spending much time with them. Indeed, time may not always be there, but for someone that you love, you’ll have to create time.
During such times, you can always talk about their daily lives, emotions, challenges, the present, and even their expectations in the future.
It’ll require that you spend other times at parties, where possible, attending school games. The reason for doing so is to ensure you establish a good rapport, such that they can share with you on almost every topic.
Additionally, in case there is any problem, solve it in the calmest way possible, remember to avoid raising your voice while pointing out their mistakes, it tends to make them pick on you in the negative way.
Keep your Health in Check
You must stay healthy and active as long as possible; that’s because your kids are in dire need of you, and they’re not ready to lose you like it did to mum, so take care.
You should hence, ensure to have a balanced diet, in addition to regular exercise, to maintain cardiovascular health.
One core importance of checking out on your health is that; you’ll be in a better position to handle several demands, which may include working for extra hours to meet all needs financially, keeping it steady in the field while with them, and the sort, you get the point?
Seek Assistance from Other Parents
Sometimes a situation may seem to get out of hand, and especially when dealing with gender. In that case, the best thing to do is to try to reach out for help from other parents much older than you.
It won’t make you seem less uppity in parenting, remember you’re not competing with anyone on how to raise kids, it’s for their benefit. So, reach out for a helping hand in case they’re sapping all your strength.
Only remember to get someone that seems close to them, if possible, a close relative who will act as a role model, and that they can share sensitive things.
Bad Mouthing your Partner
You know what? Children are susceptible to anger, sadness, and stress, so always answer their questions with truth and honesty, but why truthful and honesty?
Whether they see their mother frequently, rarely, or never, it’s of great importance that you don’t disclose the negative side of the mother, so that they grow with the wrong mentality towards her.
Try everything possible to remain civil and neutral when answering questions about her, the reason for doing that is to ensure that they do not pick the bad blood between your ex and you in whatever case.
Keep the House Alive
Okay, this is how you go about it. By the fact that you want the best for your kids in every area doesn’t mean that you must always have a stoned face trying to keep discipline in check. No, that’s not it.
Yes, make your face stern as much as possible whenever necessary, but also remember you’re dealing with juveniles, and not some prisoners.
So, you have to be very creative. Always come up with new fun ideas, especially, when they are out of school. Organize for a prank, a family fiesta; why not compare your strength on a tug of war? For sure, it’ll work.
You can practice philanthropy with them by visiting a nearby children’s home; they’ll not only learn to appreciate the fact that they have you but also learn to interact with people from different social life, you get the idea?
Final Thoughts
Raising kids as a single Dad, if to say, is one of the most challenging things ever. That resonates with the fact that it requires massive support from your side, and the people around you.
And since it’s a common thing that you may get stressed, tired, and feels lonely from time to time, this guide is meant to help bring up your family and get you the next tips to see you through in your new life as a single parent.
Therefore, to ideally keep your home sane, always remember to; remain true to your rules, establish a solid bond with the kids, Keep track of your health, finally, run for help when a need beyond your strength arises.
So, if you keep your home alive with never-ending fun, and confidently maintain the dignity of your ex towards your children, they’ll not only look up to you as a role model but also successfully raise them despite the challenges that you’ll face in contingency.