For single parents during the pandemic, it is unlikely that they have anyone to hand a task off to. There is no other adult that they can ask to manage their kids, or a partner that they can ask to simply take the trash out, make dinner, do the dishes, or do other household chores.
For single parents, there is no one there but themselves.
It is already hard for single parents to get by every day without a partner who can help them with their kids and other chores, it became harder for them during the pandemic.
They stay up late and they get up early. They check through their kids' school emails during wee hours while doing other household chores like waiting for the washer to finish so their laundry can dry while they sleep. Surely, single parents are the deities of multitasking.
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Single parents are looking ahead
Aside from household chores, single parents are also looking ahead to plan around what is next that they need to do. Like, checking when to have their check-ups, their dog's shots, car registration, the city's leaf collection, not to mention handling and budgeting their finances.
Single parents do all of these things alone. Although they were getting the hang of it, during the pandemic, it became harder.
During the pandemic, everyone is affected. But single parents, they tend to disappear. It is not because they are lazy, but it is because they are being overwhelmed.
The mess alone of their kids during months that they were stuck at home can get their head messed up.
During the pandemic
As much as everyone is during the pandemic, single parents are not entirely okay. There is nothing that they can do but to stay at home, mask up, and hold on.
For them, there is no time to talk over the phone, there is no time for them to send meals, and no hugs nor events to attend.
As much as single parents want to reach out and hang out with their friends, family, and loved ones, the load of keeping their home intact while taking care of their child is taking too much of their time already to do such things.
Also, as much as they want to go out, have fun and relax, single parents can only stay at home, be in their pajamas, while thinking about how this pandemic caused too much of their time, energy, and life-years.
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Parenting is undeniably hard, and it is even harder for those single parents.
Experts suggest that if you have single parents friends, forgive them quickly when they could not answer your call and reply to your text message right away.
Do not give them a hard time when they say that they could not hang out with you because they need to tend to their kids, or when they say that they simply want to stay at home and sleep, or when they say that they just do not have the energy to do so.