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Taking Care of Yourself as a Single Parent

Parenting well requires that you take excellent care of yourself. After all, taking care of yourself enables you to take care of your kids. Therefore, it's important to consider your own emotional, physical, spiritual, mental, and relational needs. The resources you'll find here will help you find the time and means to take care of yourself and maintain your own life as you work hard to raise your children.

Find Time to Exercise as a Single Parent

Finding the time to exercise can be a huge challenge for single parents whose time and energy are limited. However, the benefits of regular exercise–-like warding off depression and helping you get a better night’s sleep–-can be particularly helpful in maintaining the stamina you need to raise a family on your own.

To make the time for getting fit, without having to hire a babysit…

Kids Away - How to Cope With Kids Away at Camp or Visitation

It can get lonely with the kids away at camp or an extended visitation with the other parent. Here, single moms and dads share their survival tips for coping with the kids away.

Survive Summer With the Kids Away for Extended Visits

You know how it is. Throughout the school year you long for an occasional extended break from your kids, and then when summer comes--and they go to visit the other parent for two or three weeks--you're devastated. Don't worry. These feelings are completely natural. Your kids are a huge part of your life, and adjusting to a few weeks without them is unsettling, even when you know the break wil…

Empty Nest Single Parents - Strategies for Empty Nest Single Parents

Empty nest single parents have have a hard time adjusting to the new reality. Here, you'll find strategies for making the transition to living alone again as single parents share what helped them get through the stage of becoming an empty nest single parent.

Single Dads - Extraordinary Single Dads

Custodial single dads possess a lot of strength and determination. See what you already have in common with these extraordinary single dads, and take a moment to share your own personal strengths on our site.

Single Moms - Extraordinary Single Moms

Single moms possess incredible strength and determination. See what you already have in common with these extraordinary single moms, and share your own personal strengths on our site.

How to Prepare Yourself to Become an Empty Nest Single Parent

You've spent approximately two decades getting ready for your child's graduation, and now it's here. You're thrilled for him. You're proud beyond belief. But you're also unsure of what lies ahead for you. Here are some tips for how you can prepare yourself to become an empty nest single parent:

Your Child Graduates and You Become an Empty Nest Single Parent

Empty nest single parents need to adjust to life on their own when their kids graduate and begin to move into adulthood. Prepare for graduation by not only making sure your young adult is ready, but make some room for your own adjustment, too, with these tips.

Quiz: Are You Taking Good Care of Yourself?

As a single parent, it's critical that you make taking care of yourself a priority. Find out whether you are with this interactive quiz. Includes links to tips and articles related to self-care issues for single parents.

Survive the First Year

The first year as a single parent is a time of transition. Full of changing emotions and uncertainty, this is a time when you need to be surrounded by support. These practical steps will help you get through these difficult months and start building a new life for your family

30 Self-Care Tips

Finding the time to take care of yourself is a challenge when you're a single parent. However, there are some simple things you can do to tend to your own personal needs while you're taking care of your kids. Includes thirty ideas for taking care of yourself as a single parent.

Set Goals for the Next 12 Months

Ready to set some annual goals for yourself and your family? Consider these ten goals and resolutions for single parents, including taking care of yourself, making friends, looking at the big picture, and more.
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