Single Parents' Day is a great opportunity to celebrate how far you've come on this journey. Don't think you have to wait around for your kids to make a big deal of the event, either. While that would be nice, there's a lot you can do to acknowledge the day for yourself. After all, you're the one who knows better than anyone else how much you've grown personally since you began parenting on your own. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate Single Parents' Day:
Take some time this Single Parents' Day to say thank you to your kids. It's true that the intent behind this holiday was for
them to thank
you, but when you think about the person you've grown into through the amazing opportunity to participate in their lives, you can't help but be grateful. Celebrate that feeling today as you express your gratitude for your family, just as it is in this moment.
Birthdays present a wonderful opportunity to write letters to your children, but with all the busyness that tends to grab your attention on those special days, the annual letters don't always get written. So why not use Single Parents' Day as a time to write down your thoughts to your children each year? Let them know how rich your life is as their parent, and that you wouldn't trade being a part of their lives for anything in the world!
I know it's considered impolite to brag about yourself, but this is different. Think of all the reasons you're proud of what you're doing as a single mom or a single dad, and actually say them to yourself out loud! Sometimes it's in that moment of hearing our own thoughts spoken aloud that we being to take them in and believe them. Take a moment to
E-mail your ideas to me, too, and I'll add your thoughts to our growing list of
Reasons to be Proud of Raising Your Kids as a Single Parent.
A journal is an awesome tool for recording your successes. Then, when you have a really awful, stressful day, you can go back and reread your previous entries and glean some strength from your own written words. If you've never kept a journal, or you're not sure where to start, sign up for our
Guided Journal E-mail Course, which will send you one new journal question via E-mail each day for 30 days.
Another way to honor this special day is to simply encourage another single mom or dad you know.
Send them an E-card or give them a call just to acknowledge that their hard work and dedication are especially encouraging to you. That's something everyone needs to hear now and then, and your selfless effort might just make their day!
Finally, this is a perfect day to just give yourself a break! Allow yourself to sit for a few minutes without the pressure to accomplish something. Better yet, let your kids prepare a feast in your honor (perhaps as simple as a bowl of Cheerios if you have young ones), and enjoy the moment.
