w up to be healthy and secure individuals. We do our best to assure that they are fed, clothed, and safe. It almost seems natural to feed the children first. Yet some of us, as single parents, have different priorities at various times in our lives or face various problems such as addictions, unemployment, or health risks that prevMom’s and dad’s are unique creatures. We take on a hell of a role and a big responsibility when we become moms and dads whether, we’ve chosen the title or not. I say choose, because some of us, may not have chosen to be a mom or a dad, let alone a single parent, nor the responsibilities that come along with it.

It’s bonus if we grew up in a loving, caring, ‘healthy’ family. But I dare to say, that most of us reading this article, did not. I say that because the divorce rate is sky high and break-ups affect how we parent, like it or not, whether we were from a “well-adjusted” family or not. I say that too, because some families have a secret, something they’re ashamed of, something that is not spoken of in public or at family functions, something, that may not even be out in the open, but ‘felt’ when family members get together. So, although we may have ‘hidden’ these things from our children, sooner or later it affects how we parent and the ‘secret’ seeps out, one way or another.

Given that, we can only do our best with what we know and what we practice as a parent. It is one thing to know how to parent our children and a completely different thing to apply our knowledge to our day to day skills to actually parent our children. We know that without food, shelter and safety, our children will not grow up to be healthy and secure individuals. We do our best to assure that they are fed, clothed, and safe. It almost seems natural to feed the children first. Yet some of us, as single parents, have different priorities at various times in our lives or face various problems such as addictions, unemployment, or health risks that preve

e grew up in a loving, caring, ‘healthy’ family. But I dare to say, that most of us reading this article, did not. I say that because the divorce rate is sky high and break-ups affect how we parent, like it or not, whether we were from a “well-adjusted” family or not. I say that too, because some families have a secret, something they’re ashamed of, something that is not spoken of in public or at family functions, something, that may not even be out in the open, but ‘felt’ when family members get together. So, although we may have ‘hidden’ these things from our children, sooner or later it affects how we parent and the ‘secret’ seeps out, one way or another.

Given that, we can only do our best with what we know and what we practice as a parent. It is one thing to know how to parent our children and a completely different thing to apply our knowledge to our day to day skills to actually parent our children. We know that without food, shelter and safety, our children will not grow up to be healthy and secure individuals. We do our best to assure that they are fed, clothed, and safe. It almost seems natural to feed the children first. Yet some of us, as single parents, have different priorities at various times in our lives or face various problems such as addictions, unemployment, or health risks that prev

ey’re ashamed of, something that is not spoken of in public or at family functions, something, that may not even be out in the open, but ‘felt’ when family members get together. So, although we may have ‘hidden’ these things from our children, sooner or later it affects how we parent and the ‘secret’ seeps out, one way or another.

Given that, we can only do our best with what we know and what we practice as a parent. It is one thing to know how to parent our children and a completely different thing to apply our knowledge to our day to day skills to actually parent our children. We know that without food, shelter and safety, our children will not grow up to be healthy and secure individuals. We do our best to assure that they are fed, clothed, and safe. It almost seems natural to feed the children first. Yet some of us, as single parents, have different priorities at various times in our lives or face various problems such as addictions, unemployment, or health risks that prev

Given that, we can only do our best with what we know and what we practice as a parent. It is one thing to know how to parent our children and a completely different thing to apply our knowledge to our day to day skills to actually parent our children. We know that without food, shelter and safety, our children will not grow up to be healthy and secure individuals. We do our best to assure that they are fed, clothed, and safe. It almost seems natural to feed the children first. Yet some of us, as single parents, have different priorities at various times in our lives or face various problems such as addictions, unemployment, or health risks that prev

w up to be healthy and secure individuals. We do our best to assure that they are fed, clothed, and safe. It almost seems natural to feed the children first. Yet some of us, as single parents, have different priorities at various times in our lives or face various problems such as addictions, unemployment, or health risks that prevent us or reduce the probability of providing constant primary care to our children. Some of us are afraid, in denial or simply unaware of asking for help or assistance when times are bad. Help and assistance is there when we ask. Are your priorities in line with being able to provide your children with their basic needs? If they are not, what’s one thing you can do today to take responsibility and shift your priorities, in order to have your children’s basic needs?

Our child(ren) need us for different reasons as they mature. At the very beginning, they need us to provide the basic needs food, safety, and shelter. Then, they need us to discover what love and belonging is and they learn that by being exposed to loving relationships, which may also include friends, teammates, and neighbors. All along, they also need us to help them develop their self-esteem. And finally, they need us so that they can self-actualize and become all they can be. So how about it, what can you provide your children, no matter the age, so that all their needs can be met?

Once the basic needs are met, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we long for a sense of love and belonging which contributes to self esteem and acceptance. This need can be filled by being exposed to loving relationships, which may include relationships