| Parenting can be challenging enough but when | | | | that you are reliant on one caregiver and the |
| you're a single parent the challenges are | | | | checks and balances are minimal. This |
| quickly compounded. When you don't have | | | | situation requires putting a vast amount of |
| anyone to hand off to - to share | | | | trust into one person. It can also be |
| responsibilities and workload - you can be | | | | extremely expensive. But if you are able to |
| easily overwhelmed. Single parenting comes | | | | find the right person - and can manage the |
| with an extra set of challenges. And none can | | | | financial end of it - it can be priceless. |
| be more confusing then choosing appropriate | | | | |
| and reliable child care. | | | | Daycare centers also offer a haven for those |
| | | | who are single parenting. Because you are |
| Working long hours to support a family is | | | | reliant on a group of caregivers, rather than |
| hard enough. But when you add child care to | | | | just one person, you have an even greater |
| the mix it becomes even more difficult. | | | | level of support. If one caregiver is sick |
| Single parenting absolutely requires finding | | | | there are others who are there to watch the |
| supportive, flexible child care that provides | | | | children. This situation also offers children |
| your children with a loving, nurturing | | | | a chance to socialize; it can be like a |
| environment. | | | | second family. |
| | | | |
| Luckily for those who are single parenting, | | | | However, the downfalls of a daycare situation |
| there is an enormous availability of child | | | | are high turnover among the staff and an |
| care options today; everything from | | | | increased probability of sickness among the |
| one-on-one care to child care centers and | | | | children. |
| every conceivable choice in between. | | | | |
| | | | Small, in-home child care providers offer a |
| Many who are single parenting prefer child | | | | situation that falls somewhere between care |
| care that is provided in the home by a nanny | | | | by a nanny and daycare center programs. Many |
| or au pair. This can be logistically | | | | times these in-home care situations are |
| beneficial as you do not have to drop off and | | | | provided by stay-at-home-moms who offer to |
| pick up your children and their daily routine | | | | watch other children to earn extra money. |
| is able to be kept relatively consistent. | | | | This can be a really great situation for |
| Single parenting means that there are often | | | | those who are single parenting. This is often |
| enormous changes in schedules; with in-home | | | | much more affordable than care provided by a |
| care, you don't have to worry about making it | | | | nanny but offers a smaller, more intimate |
| to a daycare center by a specific time. | | | | setting than a daycare center. |
| Additionally, children of those who are | | | | |
| single parenting are offered a higher level | | | | Single parenting is a tough job. But it |
| of stability with this arrangement. | | | | certainly can be made easier by ensuring that |
| | | | your children are safe and loved with |
| The pitfalls of in-home care, of course, are | | | | high-quality daycare. |