All those with a frequently travelling spouse/partner have to play the role of a solo parent more frequently than they liked. Parenting becomes demanding under such circumstance, when the spouse has to travel constantly for work. No matter the number of children one has, performing the role of sole provider, be it for days, weeks and even months, can indeed be overwhelming for the parent.
Survival tips for solo parenting
Fret not. Every parent can strike the right balance to make their house function smoothly as well as making their children happy in the absence of their spouse by following these tips.
Make it special:
For those whose spouse travels often, building special moments is a great idea. Whether it is watching silly comedies, ordering cakes or Chinese food or planning a holiday into their time away will work wonders, as these will prevent added stress and conjuring feelings of loneliness. Besides, one should lay importance on letting loose and being creative. Children model their parent’s mood, whether they are frazzled and stressed or calm and relaxed, they will blindly follow their lead.
Maintain a structured routine:
For children; nothing seems to be more crucial than consistency. When their mom travels frequently, they get confused and worried by every little change in their regular routine. Especially if the child is too young in expressing their feelings and thoughts, they are most likely to show tantrums, being whiny or clingy and not sleeping well. There are innumerable ways a father can manage this.
Firstly, to follow a structured routine that will remain same even when the mamma is far away. This will be highly beneficial for those having children aged below 7 years. For those having older kids, one can follow a streamlined routine that gets into the place, particularly when their spouse is travelling regularly. This can be very simple as having meals on paper plates for cutting down on dishes, piling all in the master bedroom for doing their homework rather than everyone heading towards a different room.
A little planning serves the purpose:
Few things are simpler in performing with the kids than others. The key lies in making the life as easy and simple when one’s spouse is away. It is best in completing their weekly errands prior to their spouse leaving for their work to prevent taking their little ones with them for such menial tasks. A father should try in filling up their schedule with manageable tasks that will both entertain him as well as his kids, particularly when his partner is out of the station. After all, a little planning beforehand goes a very long way to make their time as a solo parent less stressful.
