Finding Time For Yourself While You Raise Your Kids

Single parenting is exhausting because your children depend on you for everything. You're responsible for all aspects of your family's well-being, from managing the finances to keeping track of homework assignments, meals, and extra-curricular activities. In order to sustain the energy needed to do this job well, you need to create some pockets of "Me"time. Some solitude and single-minded activities go a long way to helping you cope with difficulties and provide strengths for your children as a role model. Here are ten tips meant to help you gain back some sanity in your busy life:

1. Try getting up earlier.

Don't groan or grouse about it without trying it first. Start by setting your alarm for fifteen minutes before you really need to get up. Then use that time to listen to the quiet, write in a journal, or engage in another activity that soothes your soul. Do not, however, use this time to get a head start on chores. It's important to use this time for you.

2. Keep your kids' bedtime routines consistent.

It's hard to plan for some alone time in the evening when your kids don't have a routine. When they go to bed at a different time every night, everything is up in the air, including your downtime. Instead, start implementing a consistent bedtime routine so that your kids can anticipate their rest and learn to fall asleep on their own. Noe: If you have early risers on your hands, you may want to put an alarm clock in each bedroom and teach your kids to play quietly until at least 7:00 a.m. when the alarm goes off.

3. Take one night for yourself each week.

Part of what you need in your life is some time in your head - time to think , to plan, to dream. This is one of the most rejuvenating gifts you can give yourself! So at least once a week, give yourself a night off. After the kids have gone to bed, resist the urge to do the things you would normally do, like chores or watching TV. Instead, spend some time pursuing a hobby you love, reading a book, or reconnecting with a friend. Everything else can wait. Your kids will not remember the dust in the house; but they will definitely remember if you repeatedly voice or show your frustration while they're growing up.

4. Enjoy and relax during your shower time.

Buy some energizing aroma therapy products that you love, and make the most of the few minutes you have to yourself. While you're there, take some deep breaths and let the water wash away some of that tension in your shoulders that you're carrying.

5. Sneak in a walk during your lunch hour.

Let's be honest. You don't need to hear another story about your co-workers's cat or their own woes at home; so at least once a week, break away from the employee break room and go for a short walk during your lunch. Don't skip lunch altogether; you need those calories to sustain you through the afternoon and whatever the rest of the day has in store for you. Eat a light meal and go out for a brisk walk to clear your head, enjoy the sunshine and exercise your body.

6. Introduce and enforce a quiet time.

If your children are too old for naps, but still young enough to require constant attention, introduce "Quiet Time." Your kids can read or play quietly in their rooms for one hour in the afternoon. This becomes a time for you to relax, read a magazine, or do something special for yourself. If you need to, create a behavior chart where your kids can keep track of their quiet time hours. Celebrate their cooperation with a trip to the library, a local park, or trips to a skating rink to reinforce their good behaviour. Not only are you doing yourself a favour but your children will feel less of a need to be "entertained" and more of an inclination to enjoy their own personal thinking and playing time which will ultimately allow them to emotionally grow as well.

7. Make a date with friends.

Take a look at your calendar. Everything you do gets listed there, from dentist appointments to baseball games. Grab your pen right now, call a couple of friends and schedule at least one "Me Time" date for this month, even if it means hiring a babysitter.

8. Enjoy the quiet in your car.

The daily commute to and from work usually takes up a good portion of our day. Instead of turning on the radio and listening to the mindless chatter of the morning radio talk show host, turn everything off and enjoy a brief period of quiet. This simple habit can help you focus on the coming day or rationalize and deal with issues or obstacles of recent days.

There are many challenges for a single parent to cope with. From the financial burdens to the sporting team events, the lone parent is responsible for driving, scheduling, participating, etc. Your kids, through no fault of their own, expect for their "super" parent to be able to cope with it all. While the concept of the "super" parent is a tad on the unrealistic side, it is very much a concept that a child visualizes. Especially when they see their friends' parents jointly sharing these duties. Your children begin to think that you are some sort of jean-mending, boo-boo kissing super hero who is capable of juggling a box of Cheerios while mending a pair of jeans.. Tough act to follow and keep your cool. Give these ideas some consideration and grab back a little sanity for yourself!