Being a Single Mom and Raising a Child Alone

There are a lot of reasons why a woman may find herself raising a child alone. While some choose the path of single parenthood voluntarily, others find themselves thrown into the mix unexpectedly.

Every mother out there would agree that while raising a child is a blessing, it is also no easy task. Women raising a child alone often battle an escalated mix of fears and worries when a partner to count on is absent from the family equation. Single moms often feel anxiety when it comes to trying to find ways to finance their situation single-handedly, isolation as time restraints cause their social life to diminish, worry that their children will be missing out on a father figure accompanied by the general fatigue every mother feels.

It’s important that all mom’s take time out of their days to care for themselves. Women raising a child alone should take particular care to set aside time to help themselves, as they are often the one and only source of support for their child.

State Funding

While it is not necessarily a popular topic of discussion, single moms should be aware that state funding is available for families that meet income guidelines. Programs such as WIC, Medicaid and TANF, just to name a few, are established by the state and federal government to help those who qualify provide for their families. A woman raising a child alone often deals with the added financial hardship of having only one income to live on. State assistance for daycare, continuing education and nutrition can ease some of the basic financial burden a single mother carries. Applications for these programs are commonly located, filled out and submitted online.

Support Groups

While life circumstances may lead a woman to need to raise her child alone, it doesn’t mean that her walk in motherhood has to be lonely. There are many single mom support groups both within communities and online that are available as a safe place to discuss worrisome topics and release shared frustrations. Knowing there are other women in the community going through similar situations can put difficult circumstances in perspective and help a single mom feel both cared for and involved in a group.

Take a worry-free walk

Motherhood comes with its own, specific set of newfound fears. Single moms may have a tendency to dwell on these worries for a longer period of time when there isn’t another parent in the household to take over when things get tough. For this reason, it’s important that women raising a child alone have a babysitter in place, even if just for 30 minutes a week to attend to mental health and rejuvenation. Taking a short walk alone can be the restorative peace of mind needed to be able to face whatever comes next.

Document the details

A single mom doesn’t necessarily have the domestic support a two-parent household can possess. When there isn’t another person to share in childhood milestones, journaling the events can be a great way to share good news and archive major achievements. Going back over a journal of great single-motherhood moments can give you a much-needed boost of maternal confidence on a difficult day.