| e parent must learn quickly the available resources in | | | | -- Business Development Programs |
| the community as part of the task of providing for their | | | | These resources can be found through contact with |
| family. Some single parents, may get financial | | | | various social service programs and caring staff |
| assistance from family members and former spouses | | | | members ofthese organisations, such as the following ; |
| but maylose this extra money, in any government | | | | -- Children and Family Services |
| assistance they receive. | | | | -- Employment Centres |
| Desperation and lack of knowledge, education and | | | | -- Edcuation Centres |
| skills can lead to developing inappropriate 'survival skills' | | | | -- Single Parent Networks |
| that rely upon misleading others to maintain their | | | | -- Women Shelters |
| lifestyle or delusions of grandeur. Such skills can be | | | | -- Youth Shelters |
| theft,joining gangs, selling drugs and/or prostitution. | | | | -- Single Parent Groups |
| These are skills that may become idealized as the only | | | | I have only touched on a list of the available resources |
| available means to gaining extra money or material | | | | and there are many more. A single teenage parent |
| property without loss but not realizing the emotional, | | | | has become a parent with greater responsibilities and |
| legaland/or psychological long term effects of having | | | | therefore must learn to adapt quickly to being a parent |
| to live with the consequences. Some single parents | | | | and single with children that trust and utterly depend |
| come to a new town or city from a rural setting and | | | | upon your abilities. |
| have no family nearby and are left to learn completely | | | | A single parent must learn to manage and schedule |
| on their own or through conversations with new | | | | their activities and follow through. To be truly |
| friends. | | | | independent and self-reliant will require the ambition to |
| A few single parents have learned to avoid these | | | | learn new skills, access all available resources and |
| methods altogether. Some single parents have learned | | | | most of all, committhe time to learn and realize, their |
| to access programs available to them such as the | | | | own personal needs are no longer a priority. |
| following ; | | | | Fear of being alone or other reasons has been |
| -- Single Parent Home Buying Program | | | | resolved with having a child. Fear of success can be |
| -- Single Parent Scholarships | | | | overcome with learning what you want, how to get |
| -- Subsidized Daycare | | | | there and where to go, to get there. Envision where |
| -- Food resources | | | | you want to be five yearsfrom now and start taking |
| -- Employment and Income Support Programs | | | | the steps to a better life for you and your child(ren). |