Single Parent Work Issues
Should I talk to my boss about my family situation?
Depending upon your work situation, it would be a good idea to talk to your boss to let him know what's going on. A lot of work organizations now are much looser with single parents, not that they are going to let you go home early, but they are going to give you a little bit more slack. If they don't know what's going on, they are going to be confused and not as sympathetic.
How can I spend time with my child if I work?
You know, what's interesting is a lot of single parents now are finding home businesses, to stay at home or spend more time with the child, or part-time work to spend more time with the child. If you're working full-time, you have to coordinate with your supervisor in case emergencies and these happen and things like that, but that's something that you'll have to sit them down. If you notice it's going to start happening, and talk to them about that.
Can I get a flexible work schedule as a single parent?
Some organizations and workplaces actually create flexible time for single parents, especially if they themselves - the boss - is a single parent. So it's something to talk about. If you're interviewing, it might be a good idea to mention it, because you don't want to pull any surprises later. And when your situation changes, you might want to talk to your boss to see how flexible the situation is - whether you can come in earlier and leave earlier, how you can sort of negotiate that.
What if can't afford to work part time and can't afford child-care?
When you can't afford to work part-time or can't afford child-care, there are a lot of things that you can do to be really creative. You can come up with a lot of ideas. Mommy and Me, or any kind of playgroup, is a really great idea because then you meet other moms and your son or daughter will find playmates. You can coordinate with the moms to maybe take your child, which is a win-win for moms. When the children are busy it is less work for her to take care of one child. Find other moms so that you can maybe do a play date exchange with.
Should I go back to school to get a better job if I'm a single parent?
A lot of things happen when you become a single parent because your lifestyle changes and so does your time element. A lot of single parents may think I should go back to school and become something else. That depends on what kind of money you want to be making, what your schedule is like, and so you really have to sit down and talk with yourself, or sit down with a guidance counsellor or a therapist to determine your new lifestyle, how much money you need to be making, how much time you need to invest in a career, and how much time you want to spend at home. You simply sit down with yourself and get a better idea with your new lifestyle, what you want to do now.
How do I find time to go back to school if I'm a single parent?
If you're going to go back to school after a divorce or separation, the best thing to do is talk to your extended family. Find someone, that's either a parent, grand-parent or a friend or basically just someone that can watch your child.
