Keeping social distance at home while trying to work (or searching for work) and having kids bored at home is not an easy task. No one expected that the Coronavirus pandemic will take over the world and our lives with such expediency. On a daily basis, people are searching the Internet for various tips on surviving the COVID-19. Not a lot has been written yet about the pandemic impact on single mothers and their children.
As single mothers, today we are faced with a very real challenge of protecting ourselves and our children from the Coronavirus, while having little to no practical support with carrying out daily tasks and providing for essential needs of our family. While the Canadian and US governments announced some financial relief to parents with children and low income families, this help is very minimal and does not help with our immediate need for childcare, grocery shopping, or real protection in the event of an emergency.
Working from home while caring for our socially-isolated children is one piece of the puzzle. Being able to obtain certain in-demand supplies and groceries is another. And yet, for many single mothers financial uncertainty is the most crippling. It is true that the Coronavirus crisis is hard on all families, no matter how big or small. However, single mothers face an additional challenge of not having any additional support financially. Even though single mothers can manage to feed and clothe their families on a single income under normal circumstances, there is no such certainty during the global pandemic.
To make it at least a little bit more manageable for you, I wanted to share a few Coronavirus survival tips to help you address a few common immediate needs.
- Staying at home with kids most of the time means using a lot of electricity. Learn how to minimize your utilities costs and cut your regular bill by 40% or more in my post here.
- Practice mindfulness and grounding techniques when you are feeling anxious or think there is no light at the end of the tunnel (there is!!) Praying, meditating, and doing art work will give you a good start. It will nourish your soul and will have a very positive effect on your children as well. Depending on the age of your kids, you might want to teach them simple ways to stay peaceful and calm together with you. No matter what!
- Do remind yourself that this too shall pass. Recount all the times you have successfully overcome the difficulties as a single mother. Write it down. Give yourself a mental high five! Count your current blessings and focus on what’s possible and is in your actual control (the COVID-19 pandemic is not).
- Avoid the panic of overbuying and overspending. People who are hoarding toilet paper and hand sanitizer are acting out of fear. Unless they have warehouse-size storage to keep endless supplies, no amount of hoarding will help them in the long run. It also might be completely wasteful and unnecessary. Sharing with others and being altruistic, on the other hand, can positively affect your mental and physical health.
- Use the extended time at home to play more with your kids and learn from them how to navigate through change. Children are going through some major adjustments together with everyone right now. We can learn a lot from their ways of handling this new reality in a more relaxed and optimistic way. Spend time really listening to your children when they play or talk to you.
- Get creative with a daily routine for your kids and yourself. A day without a routine is a very different vs a day that follows a schedule. This article has some good suggestions about activities for kids during the Coronavirus quarantine.
- Re-think your career. While it is easy to panic about employment during crisis, there is a real opportunity to re-evaluate your true calling. If you are not sure where to start, read these tips for making a stress-free career transition. Social distancing allows for plenty of time to self reflect, learn, and make positive adjustment to better your life.
If you have additional suggestions you would love to share with other single mothers who read this blog, please comment below or connect with me via Facebook page. Wishing you and your children good health and a lot of quality time together!
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