Raising children is challenging. When you have to balance your style with another person’s, the difficulty is raised a notch. Some parents might think that raising the kids will be easier if they just did it by themselves. Even though you might not have another adult right there to give input about what’s going on, you will still have to consider the other parent’s wishes as you make decisions for the children.
After a divorce, you will have to settle into the new normal for your parenting style. You might find that some aspects of what you do have changed since the divorce. There are many reasons for this, so you have to identify these and determine whether they are acceptable or not.
One of the primary factors might be stress. You might feel fatigued and emotionally raw. This can make it difficult for you to have to battle with the children over some aspects of life. While you don’t want to let the children get away with everything, you do have to determine what battles you are willing to fight.
Another factor that might impact your style is guilt. You might be tempted to let the children do what they want just because you feel bad about the divorce. Letting this happen for even a little while can mean that you are setting yourself up for having to deal with behavioral issues down the road.
It is always best to start the new single parenting life off with an established set of rules. You can allow these to evolve as necessary so that your child has stability and you have a sense of normalcy. Just be sure that you are only doing what is allowed in your parenting plan.