Tired of Being a Single Mom? What to do Next • Singlemothers.us

Last Updated on May 7, 2024 by Kathy

It’s pretty easy feeling like you are the most tired single mom out there. Parenthood is undoubtedly one of the most challenging responsibilities that anyone can face.

Being a parent is rewarding, but it is never easy – and you can imagine how hard it gets for a single mother. Solo parenting is even more demanding, hectic, and stressful. However, once you are in a situation, you have no choice but to be brave and accept the responsibility for everything that you got.

There will be times when you feel like you can’t do it anymore. You’re overwhelmed and merely feeling tired and alone. You need a break, and you need one soon. Sometimes, there are no breaks, and we don’t get any do-overs.

But, you can take a deep breath, take a minute to be grateful for all that you have, and make a choice to start feeling like yourself again. Start with the following simple steps.

How to Stop Feeling Like a Tired Single Mom:

1. Reconnect with your kids.

Now that you are a single mother, you will also need to handle many decisions and tasks yourself. One of the roles you need to assert immediately would be as the head of the household. When it comes to your children’s behavior, you will be typically called for it, whether good or bad. You do not want to get overwhelmed with everything that needs to settle, especially how your kids will turn out to be in the future. The best way is to start early and connect with your kids in as many ways as possible. A healthy family routine would be a great help, mainly if you can all stick to it. A good example would be setting a curfew time each night or allocating household chores to everyone in the family.

Please make time to help your kids with their homework to have the time and opportunity to get to know them better. You will learn more about their strengths and weaknesses and even their personalities as you get to spend more time with them. Family time will also be better when you can bond and have a great time catching up.

2. Stop feeling guilty.

At one point or another, you will find yourself feeling guilty about everything that has happened, especially if you can see that your kids are negatively affected. The least you can do for yourself is to stop feeling guilty or embarrassed.

You also do not need to feel obliged to spoil your kids because you think you are not enough for them. Make them understand everything and tell them that while it is not easy for most parts, you can still have a happy family together even when you are the only parent left.

3. Take care of yourself.

Yes, you are the sole provider now, but that does not necessarily mean that you will stop taking care of yourself. Self-care includes different physical activities that you used to enjoy and getting enough rest and sleep. Remember that since you are now on your own, you have to take care of your health and mental state always to be healthy and stable enough to be there for your family.

It also helps a lot to plan or arrange some time you can spend for yourself, such as going to the spa or getting a full body massage. This time will not only allow you to recharge but, at the same time, lets you value yourself and your wellbeing.

4. Never be afraid to ask for help

Sure, you are a single mother, but that does not mean that you are a superwoman. There would still be times when you will feel alone and depressed and even tired, and in times like these, you do not have to be scared or embarrassed to ask for help.

Please take note that there are still people around you who would be more than willing to lend a helping hand when you needed it the most. It may also help to join a support group for single mothers like you to meet new people in the same situation as yours. This way, you will have more people to talk to when you need it.

Don’t forget that you still have your friends and other relatives to help you get through this. These people will be your source of strength, aside of course, from your kids.

5. Stay positive and stay grateful.

There is nothing wrong with feeling like a tired single mom, but don’t let that feeling get the best of you. Keep a journal of the things you’re grateful for. The best practice is to write down three things you feel thankful for every day. As a single mother, you have to always look at the brighter side.

Stay away from negative thoughts, as those will only bring you down.