Ways You Can Help Out A Single Parent
The number of single parents is constantly increasing, due to divorce, death, or other circumstances in life. Being a single parent can be difficult in many ways, and if you can help out a single parent it may make their day or their month, often by doing just a simple act. Here are some ways you can help out a single parent in your neighborhood or your community.
Give Them Your Time and Attention
A single parent can easily become overwhelmed with their life and work, juggling between working, parenting, and finding time for themselves. Due to these reasons, it can be easy for them to feel unappreciated in all they do. For example, young children don't often tell their single parent they appreciate what they do for them and this can make them feel like all their efforts are not noticed.
You can help out a single parent by paying them a compliment that they most likely never hear to let them know their work is noticed. Tell them they are doing a great job or they are parenting great with all they are dealing with.
Donate Money
Another way to help out a single parent is by donating money to them. And you can do this directly or indirectly, anonymously or not. For example, if you know a single parent, you can put some cash into an envelope and slip it into their door or their mail slot. You may also choose to personally give a single parent some cash that they can put toward any of their unending expenses.
On the other hand, if you do not know of a single parent who is struggling, there are many online donation sites - like Fighting Chance Inc.- you can donate to and know it will go to a very needy parent. You can sign up for regular monthly donations or donate a one-time single lump sum amount.
Donate Your Time
If you don't have any extra funds right now, you can still help a needy single parent. Offer to babysit their children for an evening or a Saturday, for example, to give the parent time to do grocery shopping by themselves, take a nap, or to spend some time relaxing on their own.
Often single parents only get time to themselves after their children go to sleep and this is often when they get cleaning done or get much-needed sleep themselves. If you can only donate an hour or two of your time watching their children, this is sometimes all they need to take a break.