How to Create a Good Family Life As a Single Parent
Develop a routine that includes each other., Spend time with your children one-on-one., Create family traditions., Travel with your children whenever possible.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Develop a routine that includes each other.
As both a parenting and a familial happiness inducing strategy, keep children’s mealtime, bedtimes, and wake-up times reasonably consistent.
A reliable routine helps gives structure to you and your children’s days.Schedule weekly fun sessions too.
Devote specific blocks of time to relaxing and otherwise spending time with your kids.
Limit external distractions by staying home together.
Plan an age-appropriate activity such as a crafts or board games that everyone will be interested in.
As a parent, you need time at the end of the day to gets things done and decompress.
Your children also need more sleep, so put them to bed before you’re ready to wind down for the evening.
Don’t fall into the trap of allowing kids to stay up late (even if it means you get to spend more time together).
Remind yourself that you can make a point of connecting with your children on the weekend if it seems your weeks are full of work and school obligations. -
Step 2: Spend time with your children one-on-one.
Spending time with your children individually will allow you to enjoy activities together that they specifically enjoy, thus ensuring an emotional connection.
With school-aged children, this may include watching a favorite TV program together, playing video games, or athletic activities.
Get outside! The lake, river, or nearest state park are healthy, cheap, and can be genuinely enjoyable for almost every age group. , Even if you don't have time or energy to cook dinner every night, make it a habit to have everyone together for meals at least once a week to share thoughts and stories about the day.
Children’s birthdays are an especially good opportunity to build a tradition around.
However, birthdays can be hard in a single-parent home.
Consider celebrating birthdays out – perhaps even at the same place every year.
Family-friendly restaurants will always be happy to have birthday parties (even small ones), and will likely get the staff assembled for the painfully fun happy birthday song. , There's no better way to create shared memories than going somewhere new and exploring it together.
Family trips can become an incredibly meaningful tradition too.
Camping, fishing trips, visiting relatives, and trips to local museums are just a few inexpensive and healthy ideas.
Even just car rides provide great opportunities for conversation.
Enjoy these random opportunities to chat, sing (or joke about) songs on the radio, or make plans for the next thing you’re both looking forward to doing together. -
Step 3: Create family traditions.
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Step 4: Travel with your children whenever possible.
Detailed Guide
As both a parenting and a familial happiness inducing strategy, keep children’s mealtime, bedtimes, and wake-up times reasonably consistent.
A reliable routine helps gives structure to you and your children’s days.Schedule weekly fun sessions too.
Devote specific blocks of time to relaxing and otherwise spending time with your kids.
Limit external distractions by staying home together.
Plan an age-appropriate activity such as a crafts or board games that everyone will be interested in.
As a parent, you need time at the end of the day to gets things done and decompress.
Your children also need more sleep, so put them to bed before you’re ready to wind down for the evening.
Don’t fall into the trap of allowing kids to stay up late (even if it means you get to spend more time together).
Remind yourself that you can make a point of connecting with your children on the weekend if it seems your weeks are full of work and school obligations.
Spending time with your children individually will allow you to enjoy activities together that they specifically enjoy, thus ensuring an emotional connection.
With school-aged children, this may include watching a favorite TV program together, playing video games, or athletic activities.
Get outside! The lake, river, or nearest state park are healthy, cheap, and can be genuinely enjoyable for almost every age group. , Even if you don't have time or energy to cook dinner every night, make it a habit to have everyone together for meals at least once a week to share thoughts and stories about the day.
Children’s birthdays are an especially good opportunity to build a tradition around.
However, birthdays can be hard in a single-parent home.
Consider celebrating birthdays out – perhaps even at the same place every year.
Family-friendly restaurants will always be happy to have birthday parties (even small ones), and will likely get the staff assembled for the painfully fun happy birthday song. , There's no better way to create shared memories than going somewhere new and exploring it together.
Family trips can become an incredibly meaningful tradition too.
Camping, fishing trips, visiting relatives, and trips to local museums are just a few inexpensive and healthy ideas.
Even just car rides provide great opportunities for conversation.
Enjoy these random opportunities to chat, sing (or joke about) songs on the radio, or make plans for the next thing you’re both looking forward to doing together.
About the Author
Anna Williams
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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