Bring Up Your Child as a Single Dad
by More and more single parents are males with the main responsibility of bringing up the child or children. Some advice from my experience as a single Dad with a daughter.
Relationship breakdowns can be painful for all people involved whether it is either partner or the children. My relationship brokedown on October 2006 when me and my partner split. We had a young baby of 3 months old and my partner had a four year old from a previous relationship. Initially I went and lived with my parents and my baby daughter stayed with her Mum. However in February 2007 my daughter ended up living with me. So began my struggle as a single parent.
One of the major problems for me at first was the total lack of free time I had and the boredom and stress that went with that. Early on I was despairing and at my wits end. I used to go out with my daughter in the pram and take her to the park just to get out the house and walk round aimlessly for upto 2 hours at a time. However with the help of my parents I began to get over this. The key to it was accepting that I could have a life within the boundaries that now existed. I couldn’t now do what I wanted when I wanted all of the time and initially that was a real blow. I finally had to accept that I had to bring up my little girl and it was going to be hard work.
Getting your child into a nursery is a good idea as it helps to socialise your child and they get to do allsorts of stuff you might not think to do with them. Not only this it gives you some freetime. Intitially my daughter went nursery twice a eek for 4 hours a time and this time alone was very much appreciated.
Turning to family for help is a must and you should not be embarrassed to do this. I lived with my parents so I used them to babysit so I could go out sometimes. Asking for help is no easy task because pride can get in the way but you must ask for help as you cannot bring up a child without any help at all.
Fortunately for me I met a special someone in July 2008 and we got together and my girlfriend has been wonderful. Do not despair Women don’t run away from you just because you are bringing up a child on your own. From my experience women admire you for it.
Staying in the house will only get you down as it did with me. To relieve the boredom and to stimulate your child go out to places. Whether it is a park, or childrens play centre or to the local supermarket get out of the house.
My top five tips for bringing up a child on your own if your a single Dad Are
- Learn to accept your situation.
- Get your child into a Nursery.
- Ask for help from your family.
- Realise that Women will admire you for what your doing.
- Do not stay in the house all day make a point of going somewhere.
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