I received the following "Thriving Single Parent" story from a reader named Tasheka:
Since I work a full-time job it is sometimes difficult to ensure that my kids and I have an adequate amount of "quality" family time, but no matter what we manage to do together, we make the most of it. We schedule a movie night one night during the week, and we eat dinner together at the table each night while discussing the day's events. I also try to keep my kids involved in activities that will make them well-rounded, which is not always easy when you live on a budget. Overall, I am most proud of the change in my attitude about being a single parent. Raising kids alone is a lot of work but I've found that it is well worth all the effort!
Tasheka isn't the only single mom who struggles with whether the pockets of time she has with her kids after work and on the weekends is "enough." If you're feeling that way, too, I would suggest taking a quiz developed by one of my colleagues, Denise Witmer, the About.com Guide to Parenting Teens. The quiz is called Do You Spend Enough Time With Your Teen? You might be pleasantly surprised by the results!