As a single mom you know that you often need to make more money than a mom in a two parent home. You have the full responsibility for providing a roof over your child’s head, health care, utilities, clothing, food, and so much more. Sure, it’s nice to think that child support is helpful and in many cases it is, but there are many times when that money doesn’t come in, when the absentee parent doesn’t keep up with supporting their child. In that case it all falls on you, so find a career that pays the bills.
So now you are left juggling not only raising your child or children alone, you also have to find a career that will support you all. The balance between career and parenting is a hard one to maintain. You love your children and want quality time with them, but you NEED your job in order to support them.
The hardest thing to adjust to as a working single mom is that often the j-o-b-s that you can find which offer a flexible schedule are also the ones that pay the least. Many employers assume that if someone needs a flexible schedule based around school hours that they are a high school student and pay accordingly. This includes fast food restaurants and convenience stores as well as many other retail jobs.
The jobs that pay the best are more likely referred to as careers and there is little flexibility in the scheduling. But you are paid very well for your time. Many times these jobs are paid on salary and require a certain amount of hours each week minimum, but if something needs to be done that goes past those hours it is your responsibility to take care of it. Find a career that pays the bills, they are out there.
Where does family time and helping the kids with homework, or even attending classes to further your own education fit into your schedule?
Finding a career that pays you the salary you need and demands only the hours you can give is not easy to do. Many single moms struggle working more than one job to make ends meet, then realize that most of their income is going to child care.
If you are a single mom, there is a good chance you are too proud to have mentioned these things to your employer. It is worth a try to talk to your employer and see if there is some way you can take on more work or earn a better paycheck by moving to a different position, adding in some days of working from home, or anything else you can work out so that you can earn a better salary and still be there for your children.
