This post by Bitch Ph.D. reminded me of a series I have long been thinking of writing:
How To Survive (Comfortably) as a Young Single Parent.
I would like to cover topics on
- saving money
- cooking
- budgeting your time
- discipline without losing your mind
- navigating a relationship with the babymama/babydaddy (should he or she still be around)
- how to advocate for your children
- negotiating custody
- the perils of scholastic life as a single parent
- etc.
There are many things to be said on all these topics and I’m sure there are many more things readers can contribute.
In particular, I am looking for people willing to write on very specific topics such as how to look for scholarships or the legality of issues pertaining to pregnancy/parenthood in the job market and in schooling environments. I’m not looking for abstract analyses, but pragmatic advice and information on how to navigate, circumvent, and even change these problems altogether. One does not need to be young, single, or a parent to add to this project, only have knowledge about these subjects. If you think you have expert knowledge in a related area, please contact.
Please pass this post around. There is a dearth of information on pragmatic solutions to the issues single parents face, especially young single parents, and the more diverse voices we can get on this project the better. If you can think of any other topics you’d like me to discuss, or want to write on a particular topic and be featured on this blog, please indicate so in the comments or send me an email at web [at] feministe [dot] us.
sure, this sounds like an interesting and worthwhile project. my husband is looking at 2+ years to finish his bach, and we have a son who is almost a year old. these waters are familiar to us.
I have started to write about money saving ideas on my own blog (especially as I prepare to become a parent myself in a few weeks) and would be glad to help out with your project in any way I can. I also want to focus on issues of cooking and eating cheaply.
This does sound like a good idea and I’m game. Since I am a relatively young single-mom myself I can talk about the babydaddy thing (since many times I have wished he weren’t around anymore), budgeting time (since I am an undergrad with 2 semesters to go), living with ones parents (while getting back on my feet), definitely the discipline without losing my mind bit (there is a new book I’ve been listening to and it’s helped A LOT), etc. There is a wealth of issues to cover, lol!
Do we pick one or will you assign us one? Hey, you get to be our online professor.
I’ve been a single mom for seven years and I know plenty about this. Apparently I am (according to the most recent census) part of the 6% of single moms who do not live with other people (parents, boyfriend, etc.). Ask away.
Write away on the topic of your preference and send them to me. I will get started writing soon, probably this weekend. Links, trackbacks, and cross-posts abound.
Take a look at girl-mom.com (unfortunately, the message boards will be down until april, due to migrating the site to a new server) it’s a site run by former teen moms, for current teen moms to have a place to come together and chill. There are literally hundreds of threads about how to save money, get public aid, deal with societal pressures, leave an abusive relationship, dealing with being a queer teenage mom, deal with divorce, health problems, yada yada.
There is nothing like the words of hundreds of current and former teenage moms to give you a real view on what it is like.
I love that site, Marissa, but I always bristle that single parents are always assumed to be female. I’d like to do a project that is a bit more inclusive and more cohesive than a bulletain board.
That site is actually one of the first supportive young mother sites I found when my boy was born. It did a lot to shape my attitude toward parenthood as a teenager.
I’m on year 13 of the mom thing. Most of it has been as a single.
My eldest has been on an IEP (Individual Education Plan) for most of his school life. Navigating the waters of advocacy for my son has been the most difficult and most rewarding times I’ve had as a human being.
I’d love to submit material on advocating for your children.
I think this is an excellent idea. Please let me know when you’re ready to take submissions.
You can read some of my blogwork at Preemptive Karma.
Lauren,
I have a few posts up on my blog about unschooling, parenting, homeopathy, sex after kids, etc. If you’re interested on stuff like that, let me know.
All of it, Liza. That would be great!
Here’s a great group in California that’s specifically focused on the education side of things:
http://www.geds-to-phds.org/about.html
I’ll start getting the links together :)
Okay, since it took me so long to get back here (I have been back, just start reading other things, then my time runs out and I forgot what I can here for in the first place), I’ll start writing this weekend budgeting my time, disciplining without losing my mind and negotiating custody since these all seem to run together for me, especially right now with being in school.
So hopefully I’ll have something for you on Saturday or Sunday!