"MY SUPPORTS"

Factors in Daily Environment:

To be a single parent of 4 children, with a significant other in another state temporarily is a challenge every day. Having to be in 4 places at one time when it is only me, is a very difficult task. Having support from multiple people like; my best friend, aunts, cousins, business partner, god-mother, god-sisters, god-brothers, two mentors and very dear and loyal friends is a plus.

Having these supports allows me to stay grounded mentally. They also allow for me to have a support system, and cheering section at all of my children’s events, award, sports, music, and achievement ceremonies. If I am not able to attend an event for one of my children, I can send a stand in, and the children have beautiful healthy relations with all of the support people that I named. So even when Mommy is not there, they always have what they need.

Without these supports, my life would be difficult. Time plays a significant factor in my life, and sometimes there are not enough hours in the day to deal with everything. So my children would be disappointed if they had multiple events scheduled for the same day, at the same time. One thing I stand firm on is not disappointing my children. So my support system helps me to keep my word. If they weren’t in my life, I would have to find and pay a nanny to help me out.

Situation (imagine):

My family has been displaced from our home due to a termite infestation causes the structure of my home to be unstable. I have insurance claims to fill out, a new home to look for, and new clothes, home furnishings, and house hold goods to replace. I own and operate (70% me 30% partner) with a business partner 2 Early Learning Centers. My Director is out on maternity leave at one center, and my second director just left to go on a well needed, well deserved vacation.

What do I do about my day to day operations of my businesses?

Support:

So I make my Business Partner aware of my situation. He works at a job in another field, but is very aware of day to day operations, and has excellent history with conflict resolution. So he decides to take a 2 week emergency vacation from his day job to come run the day to day operations of both centers, until I have resolved some of my situation. Then I have a talk with my God-Mother. She is retired and traveling with her husband enjoying her life.

I explain my housing and business situation to her and she immediately comes to my rescue. She decided to help with both the housing situation and the Early Learning Center situation. For 25 years she cared for and helped raised other people’s children, she used to own her own Early Learning Center.

The potential benefits to these two support people are that I am able to still run my business, while handling my home situation. I won’t loose revenue, and I will be able to trust the person handling the business, because this resolution is a benefit to both of us. My God-mother helping to keep the kids occupied while I search for another home is important, and she is able to help at the Early Learning Center, if my Business Partner can’t handle a particular situation with the center.

My business would suffer until I was able to hire a temporary director, which would mean paying 3 people to do a job, which was meant for 2 people. My children would suffer because they would be bored shopping for homes and sitting to fill out paper work. If I didn’t have these two support systems in place I would be drained mentally, and physically my body might start to shut down because of all of the adding stress.