Challenges of a Single Mother

By Cheryl Sanchez

Single mother's face numerous challenges. Career, child care and even dating are among them. In order for a single mother to have a career that pays decent money, more often than not, it involves specialized training and overtime. This in turn produces a whole host of problems that must be addressed.

Child care is the most important of these factors. Especially with all the horror stories you here now days. If a single mother does not have a family member that can help out in this respect she must filter through for child care providers. This is a tough job.

Four critical factors that should be checked when searching for providers are; verifiable references, ratio of children under care, ability to talk personally to current provider clients, and cost.

First, an overview of your cities home page can often provide the necessary information, which can easily be verified through the site.

Second, there are state laws that mandate how many children can be provided for under one adult's supervision. Check with local laws for this information.

Third, if the provider cannot arrange for you to speak personally with at least two of their current clients, then look elsewhere.

Fourth, is the cost. Though money is normally tight for a single mother, this factor should have the least importance. Quality care is not cheap.

Employment and career choices are another challenge for single mothers. Even though most employers state that they do not discriminate, it is often a giant red flag when an applicant is a single mother. The employer often assumes the hiring of a single mother can adversely affect the company.

Examples: loss of time on the job from problems with child care. Calls received during working hours. Loss of concentration on the job when the child is ill and sick days taken when child cannot go to child care providers. Even pestering fellow employee's with school fund raising programs is a concern with employers.

The single mother, without knowing it, has the deck stacked against her, even before the interview. I feel that employers miss the fact that single mothers are the most dedicated, loyal and hardworking individuals in the work force today.

Another challenge that single mothers face is dating. Besides overcoming the problem of finding a significant other, the child or children will, no doubt, make this aspect of a single mother's life, very hard.

A single mother needs to be very careful on the dating scene. She needs to keep in mind, not only her own safety, but the safety of her child or children. There are some real sick puppies out there. Also, the single mother must find someone who is not put off by her "baggage". Men often refer to a single mother as having "baggage". They are interested in free and easy fun, not a ready made family.

If a single mother does manage to find someone who does not shy away from her "baggage" then after a certain length of time, she must consider introducing her child or children. This is a critical moment for the single mother. It can make or break a relationship. Even though he is aware that you have a child or children, seeing is believing.

Will they hit it off? Will your child or children be on their best behavior? Was this a good decision? The single mother also has to recognize that, even if the initial meeting went well, now is not the time to relax. The future will pose more obstacles and stress that she will need to deal with. But there is always hope on the horizon. After all, there is no other individual among us that is as strong and deserving of happiness as is the single mother. Did I mention, I'm a single mother.

Struggling Newbie in the affiliate world....passionate about writing....single mother who now and then escapes to the land of calgon. Recently put up my own site at http://www.cher-lynnesplace.com

Check it out if you have the time. Meanwhile I will just continue with my absent minded ramblings...