What advice or suggestions do you have for isolated working single dad of two girls under age 5?

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education.com asks:

"I live in a small isolated city in California. I grew up in the SF/Bay Area. Moved to find a good place to raise kids. I found Eureka, CA. 8 years later I was married and having a second daughter. I am a jack of all trades because it is warranted for survival in the area. My wife decided she didn't want to be a mom this January. Now I am raising 2 and 4 year old daughters on my own, juggling day care and preschool while working for a living. I feel abandoned and alone, but I keep focused for my beautiful daughters. Any advice or suggestions I would appreciate."

Asked by Chris in commenting on the article, "Fathers Raising Daughters: The Unique Challenges of Single Fatherhood": http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Fathe...

In Topics: Fatherhood, Single parent families

> 60 days ago

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MomSOS

Jun 12, 2010

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What the Expert Says:

For sure being a single parent is a hard and very courageous path!
dgraab has given a great answer with good suggestions and resources to check.
Support is a key for the parent, because you need to replenish your energies on a regular basis. Support helps diminish the feelings of aloneness and isolation.
Be sure to consider your own needs, and build in what you can of time for your own activities.

You might also want to try reading up on some stress management tips.
The way one views a situation can make a big difference in how the person feels about the situation.

I have a particular interest in single parents since I was one for many years and have worked with many single parents in my practice as a clinical social worker.
I am writing a book for single mothers, but many of the same issues apply to the dads as well.

Thanks for posting this question.
Bette J. Freedson, LICSW, LCSW, CGP
Clinical Social Worker
JustAsk Expert
http://www.singlemomsos.com/index.html

Resources:

http://www.helpstartshere.org/about-social-workers/bette-j-freedson.html

http://pluggedinparents.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=550&Itemid=204&ed=29

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Additional Answers (1)

dgraab , Parent writes:

Hello,

I'm sorry to hear you're feeling abandoned and alone, and raising two young children on your own. I'm located in the SF/Bay Area and have had family in the Eureka area my entire life, so I know firsthand how different the two communities are from one another (and how easy it could be to feel isolated where you are now).

Another JustAsk member asked about support for single dads, and received an Expert answer (with online resource referrals) you might also review: http://www.education.com/question/support/

One organization that my dad joined when he was recently divorced and had two kids under his roof was Parents without Partners. They often held family events that gave him opportunities to connect with other parents struggling with similar issues. Unfortunately, they don't currently have a chapter in Eureka, but they do offer a listing of online support resources for single parents: http://www.parentswithoutpartners.org/resources.html

I'm also including below some expert info about fatherhood, and single parenting. All the best to you and your family -- thanks for asking!

Resources:

http://www.education.com/topic/fatherhood/

http://www.education.com/topic/parenting-children/

http://www.education.com/reference/article/tips-single-parents/

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Ten_Tips_Single/

> 60 days ago

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