I wanted to share with you today three tips form my new book “Kickin’ Butt as a Single Parent-99 Tips That Every Single Parent Must Have”. I believe that these tips will help empower you as a parent to succeed like never before. I would love to hear back from you what tips have helped you over the years. Have a great weekend my friends…
Tip 1: Create a personal song list.
This tip was one best things I ever did for myself. I made a list of my all-time favorite songs; the songs that meant the most to me in my past. Once I did this, I had a CD created with each song, and then downloaded it on to my I-Pod.
Having your favorite, all-time songs at your disposal is like having the happy times of your past just a click away and ready to jump out at you at a moment’s notice. On more than one occasion, when I have been feeling a little down, I have put in my personal CD and immediately was transported to a time and place in my mind that brought me peace and happiness. One song that I have right now is by Rascal Flatts, My Wish. It really hits home with me as to what I hope my children’s lives turn out to be. I’ve actually copied the lyrics and framed them so I can give them to Jack and Michaela when they leave home. I believe that is important to only download songs that are inspirational, happy, and upbeat and that remind you of your childhood, college days or days when life wasn’t maybe quite as complicated.
Action Step:
Make a list right now of your top 15 songs. Download them on to your I-pod today, or at least determine who can burn them onto a CD for you. Make your list today, and commit to be listening to the songs no later than 72 hours from now.
Tip 2: Believe in yourself.
Kids are very resilient. We, as the parents, are the ones that have the issues. Believe in what you can do. If you can believe it and see it in your mind, you can achieve it in your daily actions. What are your dreams? What do you see in your future? Is it positive or negative? You have the ability to change the way you live by simply visualizing it. The power of visualization is not only a very powerful tool, but very real. It’s one of our natural abilities. Seeing images or movies in your mind—day dreaming; imagination—is visualization. Ironically, most people do some of their best visualization when they are desperate. I don’t know if you are desperate, but I do know that you can believe in yourself by simply visualizing what it is that you want out of your life. Be aware of your thoughts, imagery and emotions, and you’ll become aware of visualization. You have already overcome tremendous obstacles in your life to be where you are today. I am sure that now that you look back on it, you will agree that it wasn’t as bad as you made it out to be in the beginning.
Abraham Lincoln once said,
“That it has been my observation that people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Will you make up your mind and your vision to be happy, or will you make up your mind and your vision to be sad? Your future is brighter than you know if you create a positive vision of it. Create a negative vision and you will sow the seeds of failure. The choice is all up to you and only you.
Action Step:
Take out a piece of paper and write down what it is that you want. How do you want your life to look in three months, six months, and one year? Once you have done this, go to a quiet place and clear your mind of everything except what it is that you want. Now begin to direct your own movie. Take yourself through the scenes. Dream, believe and manifest your thoughts into an academy award winning movie. Reject any negative scenes in the movie, visualize only positive outcomes. Replay this movie in your mind everyday for the next three weeks, in the same place that you are now. Believe, and you shall achieve. Believe in yourself because you have all of the ability in the world to pull off the greatest outcome ever!
Tip 3: Be involved in your children’s school life.
Meet your children’s teachers. Check their grades online and get involved. Make sure that you have access to your child’s teachers’ contact information. Touch base with them weekly or monthly, whatever you think is appropriate. Good teachers love to hear from parents. They spend way too much time educating kids whose parents never attend the conferences or ask how their child is doing. It is so important that you are always aware of where your children stand in school. How are their grades? Are they coming to school prepared? What is their attendance like? How is their attitude? Do they participate in class? If they are not doing what is
Action Step:
Today, make sure that you have complete access to your children’s teachers, grades and calendar. Call the school to make sure that you will receive a copy of each report card even if it is mailed to another address. Make sure that you have access to all passwords that allow you to check online as to how your children are doing.
My book is available on my website www.singleparentstown.com or on Amazon. To contact me directly email me at bill@singleparentstown.com
