The first handbook for the paoidly growing number of American women choosing single motherhood, written by the director of the national organization, Single Mothers by Choice.
Former Navy SEAL Michael Rinaldi has one rule: no second chances… So when Nicole Zito, his beautiful ex, hires his security firm to keep her safe after witnessing a murder, Michael convinces himself he’ll be fine. Single mom Nicole may have been the love of his life, but he’s confident he can protect her, along with his own broken heart. Then Nicole receives a disturbing email, threatening both her and her young son. And Michael’s protective instincts kick into overdrive. But protecting Nicole means spending time with her, and ignoring his heart is turning out to be a lot tougher than he thought… Nicole still has feelings for Michael, but she knows he’s the best man for the job. Still, she never expected how perfect it would feel to be with him again. Tucked away in a quiet cabin with Michael and her son…It almost feels like they’re a real family. It’s everything she ever wanted, but she’s afraid their fragile bond will soon come to an end. She’s falling hard for this sexy SEAL. Can she convince him their love is worth a second chance?
Recent statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau show there are 9.9 million single mothers in the United States. This number is up from only 3.4 million in 1970, showing that single motherhood is more common than ever. For every mother recently finding herself single, or new moms learning how to raise their first child by themselves, there are countless things any mother will need to know. Single motherhood presents innumerable situations that are much harder to handle without the helping hands of a second parent nearby. But one of the best ways to prepare yourself for success as a single mother is to arm yourself with knowledge about what to expect with single parenting. A Complete Guide for Single Moms: Everything You Need to Know About Raising Healthy, Happy Children on Your Own is for every mother who is learning how to raise children on her own. Regardless of how you came to be a single mom whether it was through divorce, the end of a relationship, surrogacy, adoption, unplanned pregnancy, or by the death of a spouse this book will walk you through the information you need to know to help you and your child adjust to a new lifestyle. The book covers what to do when pregnant and single and how to rely on your family and friends for support and help. You will learn the basics of early childcare, including what a child needs in its first year, from breastfeeding and nappies, to clothing and travel. You will learn what to expect as your child grows, including the early years of school and the problematic teenage years. This book teaches you how to take care of yourself in addition to your children, which includes knowing how to find rest and work your way back into dating. You will learn how to prepare yourself for the sacrifices you will be forced to make and how to handle financial matters while raising a child alone. Even the difficult topics are covered, such as the first times you must discuss with your child why his or her father is not present. You will learn when you can fill in as a father figure, when you cannot, and what you can do to provide the male influence and support children need during those formative years. If your child s father is involved, this book will teach you how to work with him. You will learn how to raise a boy as a single mother and find positive role models for your children. We have conducted multiple interviews with successful single mothers, as well as with experts in child care, to provide a comprehensive outlook on everything you can expect as a single parent on your own from the first few weeks of stress to the later years of toilet training, proper diet, allergies, health care, and learning to talk. From conception to graduation, the life of a single mother is a trying, challenging road to travel. With this guide in hand, you will have what you need to raise a healthy, happy family.
No matter how you became a single mom, you share the same challenges and fears all single moms have. You may feel stretched to the limit. You may suspect your children need more than you're able to give. How are you going to do this on your own? With humor, Scripture, and sage advice, Pam Farrel (child of a single mother) and PeggySue Wells (single parent of 7 children) show you how to - be decisive - create a nurturing home - be proactive - date wisely - pray for your child - embrace your happily-ever-after - and more You are capable of parenting your children with courage, confidence, and clarity. This loving, practical guide shows you how.
Written by a psychologist who's successfully navigated single motherhood herself, this book helps single moms believe they and their families deserve the best life has to offer. Packed with practical tips, smart strategies, and ways to improve the well-being of single moms and their children, this book shows single moms how to improve their leadership and parenting skills. It tackles pressing issues such as self-care, a support network, organizing, finances, discipline, and more. Teresa Whitehurst reminds single moms that they don't need to be overwhelmed and that God loves them, is on their side, and wants to guide and support them every step of the way. While they may get weary, they need never feel alone.
In the book "Unmasking the Married Single Mom (MSM)," Maggie Dulcio courageously tackled an unspoken subject, the Married Single Mom phenomenon. Through life experience and conversations with other women, she realized many moms have similar experiences but believe they are alone. Many married women with children are dealing with this overwhelming stress, the impact of an uninvolved husband. The book offers some practical advice on surviving the impact of being an MSM. The author presents vital elements necessary to maintain a healthy relationship and marriage. In the book, you will also find some helpful strategies for conflict resolution and effective communication. Additionally, you will gain useful strategies to practice self-aid. Women can be encouraged knowing that they are not alone; many women are experiencing the Married Single Mom (MSM) phenomenon. These women should gain some insight and learn practical strategies to handle their situation or possibly acquire a new perspective.
A Positive, Proven Approach to Single Parenting! As a single parent in our complex world, you face the challenge of doing alone a job that was meant for two people. In addition, self-doubt and guilt may dampen the joy you experience raising your child. What do you do? Over the years, millions of parents just like you have come to trust Jane Nelsen's classic POSITIVE DISCIPLINE series for its consistant, commonsense approach to child rearing. In this completely revised and updated edition of Positive Discipline for Single Parents you'll learn how to succeed as a single parent in the most important job of your life: raising a child who is responsible, respectful, and resourceful. Inside this reassuring book, you'll discover how to: ·Identify potential problems and develop skills to prevent them ·Budget time each week for family activities ·Create a respectful coparenting relationship with your former spouse ·Use nonpunitive methods to help your children make wise decisions about their behavior ·And much, much more! "Provides very important information for single parents, especially in today's violent society. Used as a resource, it can help parents deal with discipline issues in a positive way and in turn help their children become responsible citizens."—Judye Foy, international vice president, Community Relations, Parents Without Partners "Another great resource for both single parents and therapists . . . practical and enjoyable to read. A must for your parenting library."—Stephen Sprinkel, marriage and family therapist
There is no greater hope for single mothers than to watch their sons succeed, and African-American single mothers face more adversity than most. Raise Him Up delves into the challenges faced by African-American single moms and offers advice, scriptural support, and helpful prayers. Each chapter relates a spiritual point taken from the book of Acts, a mother's story, and draws parallels to the struggles of the modern day African-American mother. Chapters also offer stories of African-American athletes who were raised by single moms, and against all odds, succeeded. Moms will learn to give encouragement, push their boys to try new things, and keep them out of trouble. Raise Him Up is essential reading for single African-American moms who want nothing more than to see their sons grow into happy, successful men. Features include: Helpful tips and tools for raising successful men Hopeful stories of success in the face of adversity Scripture from the book of Acts
Single-parent families succeed. Within these families children thrive, develop, and grow, just as they do in a variety of family structures. Tragically, they must do so in the face of powerful legal and social stigma that works to undermine them. As Nancy E. Dowd argues in this bold and original book, the justifications for stigmatizing single-parent families are founded largely on myths, myths used to rationalize harshly punitive social policies. Children, in increasing numbers, bear the brunt of those policies. In this generation, more than two-thirds of all children will spend some time in a single-parent family before reaching age 18. The damage done in the name of justified stigma, therefore, harms a great many children. Dowd details the primary justifications for stigmatizing single-parent families, marshalling an impressive array of resources about single parents that portray a very different picture of these families. She describes them in all their forms, with particular attention to the differential treatment given never-married and divorced single parents, and to the impact of gender, race, and class. Emphasizing that all families face significant conflicts between work and family responsibilities, Dowd argues many two-parent families, in fact, function as single-parent caregiving households. The success or failure of families, she contends, has little to do with form. Many of the problems faced by single-parent families mirror problems faced by all families. Illustrating the harmful impact of current laws concerning divorce, welfare, and employment, Dowd makes a powerful case for centering policy around the welfare and equality of all children. A thought-provoking examination of the stereotypes, realities and possibilities of single-parent families, In Defense of Single-Parent Families asks us to consider the true purpose or goal of a family.