Jamie M. Lima and Gail Showalter discuss the financial struggles and realities faced by single parents, focusing on debt management and employment challenges. They explore how financial hardship influences children’s financial habits and emphasize the importance of career-focused education for achieving financial independence. The conversation highlights programs and degrees that can aid single mothers’ success. They address planning for the future, overcoming confidence issues post-divorce, and managing guilt while taking leaps of faith. Practical day-to-day financial strategies are shared, along with the importance of creating a support team.

Key Points

• Finding a reliable support system, including a good counselor, is crucial for single moms to navigate the emotional aftermath of divorce.
• Setting a reasonable, step-by-step plan for educational or career advancement can significantly boost confidence and future financial stability for single mothers.
• Encouraging a positive mindset through daily gratitude practices can help single moms and their children cope better with the daily challenges they face.

I raised three children as a single mother before I remarried. I have experienced the potholes, pests, and perils of being the single head of the household. As an educator in regular and special education for twenty years, I am the founder of Single Moms EmpowerEd, a nonprofit whose goal is to support single moms while they earn a degree that leads to employment. I’m also a Certified Professional Coach, and my stories have been published in several Christian books and magazines. My book, Living Learning Loving, is available on Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Amazon.