Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hey. Welcome to Oasis Singles.
My name is pastor Dave, and I'm so
excited you're here. By the way, this site
is not just about Christian dating service reviews
and so forth, but it's also about life
advice, all things Christian single.
We have articles. We have interactive ways that
you could get in touch with each other,
and we also have podcasts
(00:22):
that are all about the Christian life.
I hope you enjoy our site, and I
hope you enjoy the podcast you're about to
visit right now. God bless.
Stress reducers for single parents?
That sounds great considering the many stress related
symptoms some Christian single parents live with daily
(00:44):
let's see. There's financial stress, job stress, dating
stress,
single parenting stress, custody and child support stress.
I'm getting stressed out just talking about this.
As single Christian parents, it is important to
know how to reduce or relieve stress in
your life, especially if you are a solo
parent. The following stress reducers for single parents
(01:07):
may help give you some relief.
Seven,
top stress reducers for single parents.
Stress reducer number one, surrender your life to
Jesus.
It's really true. When we place our trust
in Jesus as savior and lord, he promises
to forgive us all our sins and take
our burdens and stress. How can you beat
(01:28):
that? As Christians, we sometimes forget that god
is really real, and he wants to meet
us in our need. So go
ahead, lay your stressful single parent issues on
Jesus,
one Peter five seven,
and leave them with him. He can handle
it. Stress reducer number two, take charge of
finances.
I feel like a hypocrite talking about this
(01:50):
stress item, but it's really important.
Most single parent households are stressfully living in
debt and beyond their financial means.
Fortunately, there are many Christian ministries
that can help relieve stress in this area
of your life.
For example,
I found a neat stress reducer in Crown
Financial Ministries, crown.org.
(02:13):
This ministry offers tons of free advice and
articles on how to save money, get out
of debt, and manage your budget.
The ministry also has a radio broadcast you
can access through the web. Check it out
and reduce your Agita and stress simultaneously.
Stress reducer number three, get a support system.
(02:34):
We all need each other because god created
us for fellowship.
This is especially true if you are a
single parent carrying around a bunch of stress.
Christian singles groups offer many benefits for single
parents.
Other helpful groups include divorce care, divorcecare.com,
a free international Christian support group for divorced
(02:54):
singles with kids.
Another simple way to reduce stress
is to create your own network of friends,
neighbors, and relatives
to help give you a break from time
to time. I know of a group of
several single parents who have teamed up to
rotate childcare and shopping responsibilities
for each other.
This plan is relieving stress for all parties.
(03:16):
Stress reducer number four, create a daily routine.
In line with what we teach in parent
education classes,
having a daily routine is a great stress
reducer for you and the kids. This is
especially true for the children.
If you have recently gone through a stressful
situation
like a death of a loved one, divorce,
(03:37):
or even a move to a new town,
daily routines put normalcy and safety into stressful
lives.
Stress reducer number five,
be consistent with parental discipline.
Kids need to know the rules and boundaries
of the household.
They also need to know that their parents
will uphold the rules.
(03:58):
Children living in single parent homes with no
clear or consistent rules are often stressed out,
maladjusted,
and rebellious.
Stress reducer number six, live and let live
with the other parent.
Many times, single parents have ongoing disagreements with
the other parent over custody,
visitation, or child support calculations.
(04:21):
As a person who has worked in family
court for over two decades,
I know this is a major cause of
stress in a single person's life.
However, you can reduce your stress in this
area by coming to a mediated custody support
agreement with the other parent.
When the parents are united on custody related
issues, the kids also suffer less stress related
(04:42):
related ailments.
Having a successful mediation
means you can avoid court,
additional legal fees, and keep your kids from
getting into the middle of a stress mess.
Doesn't that make you feel less stressed already?
Well, here's one other bit of good news.
Most family courts offer some form of free
mediation to their clients.
(05:02):
Before spending wasted money on an attorney,
contact your local jurisdiction to see what the
options are.
Stress reducer number seven, take care of yourself.
You do your children no good if you
are stressing
and having no joy in your life. So
pencil in some free time, don't laugh for
yourself to enjoy some activities you like.
(05:25):
If that includes dating, make sure you understand
the issues of single parent dating with kids
in order to avoid additional stress. In addition,
we all know that eating right and exercise
can greatly reduce stress and release anxiety killing
endorphins into your bloodstream.
Overall,
we have just touched the tip of stress
(05:45):
reducing ideas for single parents.
If you have any other stress reducer tips,
please help other singles lessen their stress by
making a comment.