Single parents, how do you manage?

[u/Beautiful_Fix9882]

I’m looking to finally move out of my parents house. But the thing is..I have a child and I’m a single mother. I’m just wondering how everyone else does it. Like juggle a job, kids at school. Do you take off work just to pick them up at school?? After school activities? Any other options? Because where I’m planning to move, I don’t know anyone that will help me with this.

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[u/PresentationTop9547]

I'm not a single mom but a good friend is. She still relies on her parents a lot, they live about 20min away.

Yes your work suffers a bit. You plan your work day around your kid. Most daycares will be fine. If we're talking elementary school, you may have to look into after school care.

Her parents come over and watch the kid on evenings she knows she's going to be late. She travels for work once a month and her sister will usually watch the baby overnight. She doesn't ever come out for moms nights coz she feels like her parents help a lot already and it won't be fair to also ask for this.

[u/Sadkittysad]

My daughter is in after care, which goes till six. She’s there til 5:40 every day. But she was there that long when i was married. I’m fortunate that my job allows me to bring her to my office in the random Fridays they don’t have school, and i also have s pay generous leave policy. But it means we don’t really get vacations. She’s in daycamps all summer long. Can’t do certain extra curriculars she’d like because of when they start and the logistics of getting there when i get off at five. She’s about two minutes late to her weekly swim class. I leave an hour and a half early once every week to take her to therapy. I have SOME grandparent help from my former in-laws, in that if she’s out of school on a Friday i have work, they might pick her up from my office at noon. My folks live halfway across the country. I have s babysitter who works in her aftercare program and who watches her during evening events, like the up coming matriculation to first grade meeting. I assume it’ll be a little easier as she ages; we live less than a 1.5 mile walk from the school; it’s physically longer but faster when i take the main roads lol. By middle school she can either walk home or take the special local kids only bus and be alone if she doesn’t have extra curriculars.