This has always been one of my main concerns with Wyatt. I do my best not to drag him into my financial struggles and other daily life crises, however, it isn't always easy.
Just the other day, he overheard me talking to a bill collector on the phone about when I was going to make my next payment. I was explaining that I needed an extension until my financial aid check arrived and that "I was out of money until then."
I didn't realize Wyatt was listening and that I had exaggerated the situation. When I turned around, Wyatt was standing there, piggy bank and wallet in his hands, tears streaming down his face. He was offering me his last bits of money to help pay the bills!
My heart sank to see him so worried and concerned. These were grown-up problems that he didn't need to be worrying about. That one little incident was enough to stress him out for the better part of the day.
Finally, after dinner, I took him to get an ice cream cone and we talked about my budget and the phone conversation. I told him that I do have bills, and sometimes they are paid later than usual. I told him that's what he had overheard. We talked about budgeting money and how to save it. He even came up with a budget for himself. After we spoke, he was calmer and felt safe. We both learned lessons that day.
Stress Reduction Techniques
This past semester, I had to take a General Ed class in order to satisfy a few remaining graduation requirements. I was told I needed a Physical Education class so I chose "Stress Management" and boy was I happy I did! I learned some wonderful techniques that worked well for me and Wyatt enjoyed trying a few of them too! The most important thing I learned from the class was that whenever someone says they don't have the time to exercise or try relaxation techniques, they are the ones who need to do so the most. That described me perfectly! Single parents and stay-at-home parents have to do the jobs of both parents and, sometimes, that can be overwhelming. Time is already at a minimum and trying to find an extra 20 minutes to relax can seem a near impossible task, however, with a bit of creativity and effort, it is possible to get it done. First, let's talk about exercise. Exercise is great at reducing stress in that it offers a release of tension. This is beneficial for children who tend to be more physical when it comes to expressing their stress. Running, jumping, throwing and kicking balls can really help release tension in kids.
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Kim Martin's Single Parent Activities topic, please visit the Discussions page.