Anyone who has a child knows that parenting is one of the hardest jobs there is. Today's parent faces more struggles and pressures than ever before and more and more households are single parent households, which make this already tough job even more of a challenge. The Smart & Easy Guide to Single Parenting provides an honest assessment of the societal changes in family structure, the unique challenges that face single parents, as well as how to better manage those challenges and reduce the stresses of raising a child on one's own. At the outset, the guide discusses the changing definition that the term "single parent" has seen over time. What follows is the evolution of the increasing inclusiveness of the term. At one point in time, a single parent was one who's partner had left them or died, consequently leaving them to manage the child rearing and provision of financial security on their own. This definition has expanded and now includes the following populations: Divorced parents Widows or widowers Parents who's spouses are overseas or otherwise not in the home for military service or work Young or unwed mothers Surrogates or single foster or adoptive parents The guide also describes how the concept of the family has evolved over time. For many. many years, it was more common than not for extended families to live together. This meant multiple generations under one roof. Parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins living together was not at all out of the ordinary. Over time, this began to change and the nuclear family became the norm. The nuclear family is what is often viewed as the "traditional family," with father, mother and children all living under the same roof. While to many, this is still the ideal situation, more and more parents are finding themselves having to manage child rearing on their own, as single parents. The Smart & Easy Guide to Single Parenting discusses the risk factors that are often inherent for single parents and their children. Both single parents AND their children are at greater risk for certain issues as a result of the added stress that managing this burden alone have on people's lives. For the child, risk factors of being raised by a single parent include: Risk of neglect or abuse Risk of poverty Risk of poor diet and health Lack of role models or consistent authority figures Reduced academic abilities For the single parent, risk factors include: Excessive stress Financial strain Poor health and diet Increased change of chemical dependency Lack of interpersonal relationships Effective Strategies of Single Parents While the guide does touch on the many risk factors and difficulties that single parents and their children face, it does not, by any means, provide a grim outlook for all single parents and their children. The guide provides a wealth of realistic, relatable advice that can help the single parent. Since financial security is one of the biggest problems facing single parents, the guide places a good deal of emphasis on getting one's finances under control and creating a realistic budget. For some, there are many aspects of their finances that can be downsized for easier management. Time is the other key problem facing most single parents. The guide provides a number of key tips for better time management, so as to allow the single parent to reduce their stress without faltering on their obligations as a parent and breadwinner. While parenting is never easy, being a single parent can be an incredibly daunting challenge. In The Smart & Easy Guide to Single Parenting, we are shown how the concept of the family has evolved and how a single parent is defined. The guide also touches on the unique challenges facing both the single parent and their child. The guide also gives down-to-earth advice on how single parents can reduce their stress and make their situation as manageable as possible.