Balancing Life as a Single Mother in a Pandemic

There has never been an easy time to be a single mother. Sometimes, being a single mom feels like playing the game in hard mode.

Managing to balance work and life with childcare is a tightrope walk with many demands pulling on us daily. Building a supportive network is critical. Here are some ways to lower stress and manage single parenting successfully.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Single mom during the Covid-19 pandemic Here are some of the lessons I've learned from figuring out how to balance life and raising children while the world outside seemed to be on fire.

Take Time to Balance Life by Dealing with Stress

Single mothers have to work.

After our children, it’s the next thing we build our schedules and lifestyles around. Trying to balance life with work while still meeting our children’s emotional needs can seem daunting.

If you're a single parent working from home, it might be a new experience. We may have been ill-prepared for the impact the monotony of scenery would have on our productivity or social life.

Give yourself time off from work to decompress, balance life, and make sure you spend at least an hour a day doing something you enjoy that doesn’t involve work or parenting. Perhaps, even visit a dating site and put some romance back in your life.

A beautiful black mother connecting with her son Of course, we all know that making plans in advance can be risky as a single parent. Our kids can suddenly (yet predictably) decide that we’re doing something else that day. However, it’s vital to give yourself some time away from responsibilities, relieve stress, and prevent overload from taxing your nerves. Any activity can be a break. It could be watching some TV, reading a good book, or sharing a glass of wine with a friend over a video call.

Acknowledge When You Are in Survival Mode

One of the most challenging things for a single mother is the nagging feeling of guilt. You know, that relentless whisper in the back of your mind that says you’re never doing enough.

Well, it pays to acknowledge that some of your priorities are going to suffer when you put your kids first. And there are simply factors outside of your control.

You might have read articles about taking stock of life or grabbing an opportunity to redecorate the bedroom or learn a new language.

Guess what?

Vegas odds are that the authors of these articles are not raising a family by themselves!

Accepting that you might not be able to parent at one hundred percent efficiency isn’t a cop-out—it’s healthy! And that acceptance ensures you keep your sanity.

There will be some days when you can’t get everyone cleaned, fed, and in bed on time. And that’s fine.

You may not be able to give your children five full days of homeschooling every week.

That’s completely okay!

Do whatever is realistic to keep your balance—and your sanity. If you’re keeping your home life ticking while ensuring your kids are safe, healthy, and rested while still working a job, then you already deserve an award!

Balance Life by Finding Your Village

Just because you can’t see people face-to-face like pre-COVID, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ask for help. You might have to get creative, but it will be worth it. Here are a few ideas:

Stay in contact with your child’s school and reach out to teaching professionals for help with schoolwork and behavioral issues.
Schedule video calls with your children’s grandparents and other relatives to help maintain a sense of connection.
Have a family member entertain your children for a spell so you can squeeze in that grocery run.
Reach out for help and support regularly to help balance life.
Provide your children with structure. Children, especially young children, thrive in structure and routines.

Set your kids up with play dates with their school friends. Making friends and socializing is incredibly important for your child’s development. And an extra perk for you is a well-deserved break. Single mom working with son hugging her

Balance Life When Juggling Work and Parenting

Balancing your work with parenting and homeschooling can be a lot for a single parent. If your career hours (even remotely) are inflexible and stressful, speak to your employer about creating a more flexible work schedule.

Think about what will best help balance your time between your professional responsibilities and looking after your children. You might not be employed by a company that advocates for a work-life balance. Still, any employer that values you most likely will offer you a more flexible schedule under these extraordinary conditions.

If you’re working from home, set up a system of visual indicators for your kids to let them know when you’re working on an assignment or in a meeting.

This cue could be a special color of the scarf on a doorknob or a note stuck to your laptop cover to let them know you’re working. Kids respond very well to structure and visual aids.

If you provide your children with the toolkit to understand when you’re trying to balance life with work, you might be surprised by how cooperative they can be.

Get Ahead of Behavioral Problems in Children

When your children's misbehavior increases, pay attention. If they act out, don’t blame yourself or your children. Remember, unmet needs are often driving inappropriate behavior in children.

A little extra encouragement can go a long way. Explore the reasons why and give your children some extra TLC. When you need a break, lean on your support network.