Identification of strengths similar to others who are doing well builds confidence that they can make it. After identifying their strengths, educators can help them identify strategies to build on those strengths. Help single parents develop personal management and parenting skills. Helpful personal management skills include time, money, and stress management and goal setting. Skills in using community resources, such as locating quality child care, are important.
Parenting skills help build children's social capital.
Single parents, with the help of agencies, can foster parenting behaviors that promote their children's social, intellectual, and moral development. In previous decades, it was more common for adult children and their parents, brothers and sisters to live near one another. Thus, when single parenthood occurred, there were more extended family members close by to provide support. More experienced single parents can act as mentors for less experienced peers. Involve the school and other agencies.