Single Parenting Advantages for Your Children

Scary reports of the effects on children of being raised in single parent families are common. While there are disadvantages, there are single parenting advantages for your kids.

Other research has shown that a home filled with conflict is one of the worst situations for raising children. If there was major ongoing conflict between the two parents while they were together, living with one parent may reduce anxiety and stress for the kids. And, if the parent is no longer devoting so much time and effort to the conflict, he or she may have more emotional resources to give to the kids. If all the kids see is conflicted relationships, this will be their model for their adult relationships. It's often better for the kids to see no relationship with the parents living apart than to have a poor relationship modeled when the parent stay together.

Children will be taught about living through hardships and adapting to differing circumstances during and after the divorce. You may not have the family situation that you originally pictured, but you can still have a wonderful, loving family.

More time with the kids can be a huge benefit of being a single parent. Meals can be simpler since kids tend to have limited tastes and appetites, at least while they are small. If you are used to having a partner that rarely helped with housework, you now have one less person to clean up after and do laundry for. Your time spent on financial matters could be less as you now have total control over your expenditures and record keeping.

The opportunity to spend time in two separate homes can be a good experience for your children. They will see different approaches to life and hopefully, take the best of both homes to use in establishing their own households as adults.

Often, a child with parents who live apart will gain a stepparent or two. Your child's extended family will then be even larger, giving her more chances to develop meaningful relationships with caring adults. Your kids may even get exposure to new ideas or experiences that could ultimately lead to a career or hobby for your child.

Kids who live with one parent become independent faster other children their age. As a single parent may not be able to be home constantly due to a job and other responsibilities, the kids will learn to prepare a simple meal or maybe do some laundry if their favorite outfit isn't clean. Those children who are raised in two-parent homes often don't get as many opportunities to learn to take care of themselves. Your kids will also realize that since your relationship did not last, that this could also happen to them, and they'd better be prepared to support themselves economically and to run a household on their own.

A favorite benefit of many kids from single parent families is that they often get two or more celebrations for each holiday. They may get two sets of gifts at Christmas, often getting more stuff than they would have if the parents were together. Two Easter baskets, valentine's gifts, etc., are also enjoyed by many of these children.

Homes with two parents can be advantageous for children. But, homes with a single parent also offer some benefits to the kids. When your kids complain about splitting time between households, be sure to emphasize some of the benefits that they get, too, while you commiserate with them about not being able to be with both parents at once. Any family can be successful as long as there is love and consistent discipline for the kids.

Annie Parron has been single parenting for seven years. For other single parenting articles by Annie, visit The Single Parent Spot