Navigating through parenthood alone : a guide for single parents on time management and meal planning

Abstract

Single parenthood is a growing phenomenon in Maltese society. Single parents face a lot of challenges in their everyday life, especially when it comes to managing time, preparing nutritious meals for the whole family and coping with financial stress. This dissertation aims to explore some of the challenges faced by single parents, specifically in relation to time management, meal preparation and providing their children with nutritious meals. It also aims to offer guidance and encouragement to single parents on how to create healthy, reasonably priced meals and how to effectively manage their time. Data was collected through a small-scale exploratory fact-finding exercise among 11 Maltese single parents, both mothers and fathers, aged 30 years and over. This was carried out in order to discover the areas single parents feel they lack knowledge and skills in and what they wished they knew during their path to and through single parenthood, focusing on time management and meal planning. The results from the exploratory exercise demonstrated that single parent participants preferred a guidebook format as an educational resource for useful advice on time management and meal preparation. Single parents also mainly wished to have more information about dealing with financial hardships, such as creating a budget, as well as maintaining a work-life balance, handling picky eaters, utilising seasonal and local foods, understanding food allergies and intolerances. An educational guidebook was therefore developed based on the responses from the exploratory exercise and with application of the Stages of Change theory. In such way, the contents of the resource were in line with the needs and preferences of the target individuals. The guidebook also follows the principles of andragogy put forth by Knowles. Through the use of simple and straightforward language, visual aids and a welcoming, attractive and colourful design, the guidebook aims to empower single parents to live independently, efficiently, and to help them rebuild their lives. It strives to boost their sense of self-efficacy and to provide them with the information and tools to deal with the difficulties of being a single parent by outlining practical time management strategies and tips and recipes for preparing affordable, safe and nutritious meals.