From,Good,Great,Simple,Strateg family From Good to Great – 5 Simple Strategies for Successful Sing

Raising a family can be challenging and stressful at times. However, the common goals and emotional, financial, and physical investments made can be a common bond between husband and wife. One that compliments their marriage relationship.Of A lot of women avoid wearing nice clothes when they getpregnant because they believe that they look fat or ugly. You know that there’snothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman glowing and smiling, so youshouldn’t hide your body during p

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";}Some single parents have never hadthe other parent around, so they’ve only ever expected to get on with thingsalone.  However, other single parents have had the experience of beingpart of a nuclear family and having a partner to share the load.  For themthe transition to an extended family - them with the children and the father inanother residence - has been a painful one.  Whatever your experience,there are some skills you simply must have as a single parent.  Here aremy top five:1.  Be OrganizedThe first rule for success in anything is that YOU are 100% responsible forYOU.  Now, we can excuse ourselves and say ‘I slept late’, ‘I didn’t getthat note from my son’s school’, ‘I forgot it was at 4 o’clock’, ‘I’ll do ittomorrow’ or ‘I don’t have the energy’.  But these attitudes will not helpyou or your children to move forward to the rewarding and rich life that comesfrom being responsible and organized.Getting organized means planning ahead.  Look at the year, the month, theweek and define what would make it excellent for you and for yourchildren.  Then break these aspirations down into easy actions.  So if it’s a holiday inJune you want, then you know you’ll have to book ahead and ensure there’s enough moneyset aside to finance it.  If it’s improved reading you want from your5-year old, then you know you’ll have to dedicate 20 minutes every evening tosit down with him and practice.  If it’s getting to grips with thepracticalities of running a house, then think who would know the answers you’relooking for (a friend, the gas company, a plumber) and get on the phone. Be bold – every positive action you take will build your confidence andcontribute to an even brighter future.  2.    GetWorkingEveryone’s circumstances are different, but I’m including this instruction inmy top 5 because it’s my experience that working and earning are directlyrelated to independence and confidence.  It could be a part time job in ashop – something that fits around your children’s school times.  It couldbe a full-time position in your field of expertise – something that requiresextra support for your children’s care.  Whatever it is, having a regulartime when you’re committed to leaving the house and integrating with otheradults, coupled with a financial reward for the commitment, creates a healthycontrast to our often children-focused evenings and weekends.3.    Build a Support NetworkYou can’t parent, work, study, do house chores and planning with one pair ofhands and one brain.  Even if you’re a superhero, everyone needs time tothemselves.  Having back-up for when our routine gets out of kilter orwhen an illness gets on top of us is an essential part of successful parenting. Help can come from friends, family, school parents, neighbors – build andcultivate these relationships.  It can also be hired ahead of time usingchildminders, nannies, babysitters, cleaners and odd-job services. Make sureyou research these in advance so that in the moment of need you can make a safechoice. 4.    Practice New SkillsThere are so many jobs I used to think ‘That’s usually a man’s job – it must becomplicated’.  But over the past 6 years I’ve learned that almost NO jobfall’s into that category.  Polishing floors, painting, organizing houserenovations, replacing car tyres, assembling furniture, even changing locks –I’ve done them all and I’ll let you in on a little secret … they’re all easypeasy.  Sure, I had to ask some questions of my dad, my brothers or thenice man at the DIY shop.  But when I come away with the solution and getthe job done it’s extremely satisfying and very empowering. 5.    Learn to Laugh at YourselfJust in case you’ve got to No.4 above and think I’m a sort of ‘superhero –she’ll tackle anything’ kind of person, I just want to share a little moment Ihad last year.  I was in one of those huge DIY superstores trying to finda bulb socket to replace a faulty light I had in my hallway.  I had narrowed it down to 2 and I thought Iwould call my builder friend to explain what I needed and to help me make the right decision.  My phone cut out just after I’dstarted to talk.  I was left stranded in this huge store feeling helplessand hopeless and thinking ‘Why isn’t there someone who can just do these ‘bluejobs’ for me!’.  Then I cried, standing right there in the lightingaisle!  I wept my little heart out.I can look back now and laugh at that story.  But at the time I was trulyoverwhelmed!  And there are many times I’ve messed up, got times wrong,had to ask for help, ended up in tears or handled a situationinsensitively.  And you know what I’ve learned? … There’ll be loadsmore.  We are not designed to be perfect.  However, with humility andthe right mindset (one where we cultivate an ‘attitude of gratitude’) we canenjoy our successes and laugh at our ‘learning experiences’ (even the cringeworthy ones!) along the way.