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Solo Parent · October 26 · 40 min

Self-Care Heading Into the Holidays

This week we're discussing Self-Care Heading Into the Holidays. The holiday season has a way of catching you off guard, even when you think you're ready for it. Schedules shift, old traditions surface feelings you weren't expecting, and the pressure to make it magical for your kids while managing your own grief and budget can quietly take over. This conversation is for every solo parent heading into Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas wondering how to get through it with some intention and maybe even some joy still intact. Robert Beeson, Founder & CEO of Solo Parent, Elizabeth Cole, single parent, and Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT) and single parent, bring their own lived experience to this one. All three have navigated the holidays solo and come with an honest perspective and practical tools to share. Key Insights from this episode: Grief doesn't follow a timeline - and the holidays will remind you of that: The grief that surfaces during the holidays doesn't care how long you've been a solo parent. Stuffing it down only delays the reckoning, and learning to make space for it is what actually allows joy to show up too. Managing expectations is the most practical form of holiday self-care: Planning ahead for the hard days, saying no to what doesn't serve you, and holding your traditions loosely are small moves that make the season more survivable and more meaningful. The memories your kids carry aren't made by the gifts - they're made by the emotion attached to the moment: The pressure to get everything right is real, but what your kids will actually remember has far less to do with what's under the tree and far more to do with how they felt when they were with you. Resources mentioned in this episode: Tips for Surviving the Holidays Stay Connected + Get Support: This podcast is made possible by members of The Table at Solo Parent. If this episode encouraged you, we'd love for you to join The Table by giving a recurring gift to keep these conversations going for the next single parent who needs them. Download our Solo Parent App Join a Solo Parent Group Learn more about Solo Parent Follow us on Instagram

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This week we're discussing Self-Care Heading Into the Holidays.

The holiday season has a way of catching you off guard, even when you think you're ready for it. Schedules shift, old traditions surface feelings you weren't expecting, and the pressure to make it magical for your kids while managing your own grief and budget can quietly take over. This conversation is for every solo parent heading into Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas wondering how to get through it with some intention and maybe even some joy still intact.

Robert Beeson, Founder & CEO of Solo Parent, Elizabeth Cole, single parent, and Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT) and single parent, bring their own lived experience to this one. All three have navigated the holidays solo and come with an honest perspective and practical tools to share.

Key Insights from this episode:

  • Grief doesn't follow a timeline - and the holidays will remind you of that: The grief that surfaces during the holidays doesn't care how long you've been a solo parent. Stuffing it down only delays the reckoning, and learning to make space for it is what actually allows joy to show up too.
  • Managing expectations is the most practical form of holiday self-care: Planning ahead for the hard days, saying no to what doesn't serve you, and holding your traditions loosely are small moves that make the season more survivable and more meaningful.
  • The memories your kids carry aren't made by the gifts - they're made by the emotion attached to the moment: The pressure to get everything right is real, but what your kids will actually remember has far less to do with what's under the tree and far more to do with how they felt when they were with you.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Stay Connected + Get Support:

This podcast is made possible by members of The Table at Solo Parent. If this episode encouraged you, we'd love for you to join The Table by giving a recurring gift to keep these conversations going for the next single parent who needs them.

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