If anyone else is a single parent, what do you find to be the biggest challenge that you face?

I raised my sons myself. They are identical twins who are now in their early 30's. My greatest challenge was preventing people from manipulating me through my sons. Single mothers are often prevented having full and satisfying lives by others who use loss of custody as a threat. I am happy to have thwarted those attempts, and have healthy, successful sons,who respect women, as the reward for my efforts.

I myself am not a single parent but I must say I sympathize.

Both single moms and dads are expected to be the parent as far as the family sees them and as a human being when their friends look at them.

An you also have to remember thatsingle parents do want some company too, that does not involve clowns, baloons or other children.

My biggest challenge as a single mam of a son was trying to ballance work and my boys needs. I have always lived away from home since I was 18yrs and had my son away from my family I chose to go it alone with my boy so nobody could intrfere in how I brought him up. I took him home for visits etc. But now both myself and my son have a very good, working, loving and sociable lifestyle and relationship. He's fleed the nest and I am now in a loving adult relationship which I have waited for since 18 yrs.......hoooray

i am also not a single parent..though i do sympathise..its really difficult to be the 'mom' and 'dad' at the same time..

i really appreciate the courage the single parents take on their shoulders..

raising kids is not a very easy task..takes real hard commitment

i agree with sarah, there needs to be a lot of courage..to become a single parent..

I am just worried that my daughter will somehow feel cheated because her father is not in her life.

I am not a single parent either. But I know several. I hear a lot of the same challenges from them. They want to provide a nice life for their children, but still have quality time to spend with them. They also mention feeling a bit overwhelmed. Another issue I hear is not getting any time for themselves. Since they are going it alone they dont have a person to occupy the children while they get a little "me" time.

I am a single mother, however my own mother helps out with my daughter and so I am no longer sure if I even still count as one.

Yet, I might as well drop in my 2 cents. I believe the biggest challenge is to provide your child with all of his or her basic needs such as clothes, food, shoes, toys, etc., and still be able to have some left for their school fees, and other monthly or daily expenses.
It really is a challenge for me, to be honest, and everyday I do my best to always try to make more so I could get more at the end of the month so I could have some left for the other bills (which are always behind).

So, in other words, the biggest challenge for a single parent like myself is money.

I sometimes wonder what it would be like for me if my husband died. I know it sounds morbid but have been thinking about wills lately. His insurance would pay off the mortgage but that is all the monetary help I would get and my job does not earn me enough to cover the basic bills. It is a very scary thought and money would definitely be my biggest worry.