When we hear someone mention accidents, our brains usually imagine something of a more serious nature. Things like car crashes or medical emergencies, like the ones we saw in movies or TV shows.
Those types of accidents are (fortunately) rare, and there are quite a number of people who are lucky enough to avoid them altogether. However, accidents that are much more common and accidents that a lot of us and a lot of people we know and care for experience often are those of a much smaller nature.
These types of accidents (e.g., a slip in the shower or a stumble down the stairs) tend to be the most expensive, especially for a single-parent household. Single-parent households have it harder; after all, the sole responsibility of raising and taking care of a child lies on their shoulders.
No one will say that raising a child while simultaneously working is an easy thing to do.
We get tired, our concentration slips, even if just for a moment, it can still be enough for something to happen. Children tend to be rowdy. And they tend to be full of energy.
There are a lot of things children like to do: jumping on couches with a little too much confidence, running up and down the stairs. Discovering/exploring (potentially dangerous) places in the household that aren't meant for them, touching hot pans, and so on. The list is exhaustingly long and is limited only by their imagination.
Home is the safest place to be, but in a weird sense of irony, it's almost always the place where most injuries happen (probably because we're spending so much time here).
And when that happens in a single-mother household, it is up to the single moms to take care of the fallout.
Table of contents
The cost of ‘minor' accidents
Lots of people assume that most of the home costs come from hospital stays.
The reality tends to be a bit more insidious. Like a bucket with a small hole, the water leaks out little by little. That tends to be the case with those everyday home accidents.
Accidents like (a couple of examples):
- Kitchen burns
- Back strain from lifting kids or groceries
- Slips
- DIY project or hobby injuries
- Falls while cleaning or decorating
Even if the ‘injuries' aren't serious, they can pile up little by little, and in time they will show up. Then, medical bills (e.g., urgent care visits, ER visits, X-rays, MRI, physical therapy, prescriptions, etc.) come into play.
These expenses are only medical expenses.
If you or anyone in your household, especially a child, is injured, then it is safe to say that you will put everything else on hold and deal with the situation. If everything else is on hold, then that means lost wages.
Sometimes people can afford to skip some time at work due to medical issues, but that isn't always the case. Freelancers or workers making hourly wages aren't in the same position as someone working at a big firm with benefits. If they experience an accident like a broken arm/leg from slipping and can't work, the medical expenses from a slip and fall will continue piling up.
It gets worse. Then the lost wages pile upon the added expenses.
And it'll continue snowballing.
The cost of medication
Sometimes healing doesn't simply end with a stay in the hospital or with a medical procedure. Sometimes they take time, and the most common way of aiding the healing process is medication.
And there's a lot of it out there.
Pain management, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, antibiotics, etc. Medication is a recurring cost, and insurance doesn't always solve it. Sometimes that cost tends to be overlooked. High deductibles, limited pharmacy coverage, or brand-name drugs. These can be the results of those minor injuries.
And they aren't cheap. If the people are well off, then it isn't so much of an issue, but for those who aren't, it can be devastating. Sometimes people choose between filling up a prescription, paying a bill, or buying groceries.
Single moms often prioritize the well-being of their children even over their own treatment. And delaying that treatment can cause injuries to become chronic conditions that lead to even greater costs in the long run.
It's a difficult thing to balance, especially with what is on the line.
Ways to reduce medical costs
If injuries do happen, there are ways to reduce their cost.
- Don't be afraid to ask for cash pricing – When insurance isn't billed, clinics have the option to offer better price points (they might not offer it straight up, but if you ask for it, they'll go for it).
- Ask for alternative (and ideally NOT new/trendy) medication – Pharmacists can sometimes suggest cheaper alternatives; if you go for medication that's worked for years, but has been replaced by something new and MUCH more expensive, don't be afraid to ask for that original one – it'll be much cheaper and (likely) as effective.
- Ask for payment plans – Hospitals have interest-free options, but rarely tell you about them
- Inform yourself of your options – Some workplaces offer assistance programs or resources when dealing with medical issues.
- Watch your bills – Sometimes it's possible to negotiate. People don't really realize that bills are more than ‘receive them and pay them'. They're quite flexible if you're adamant about it.
Conclusion
Single moms have the unavoidable responsibility to juggle ambition, caregiving, and being in charge of pretty much everything in the family.
What's important is to keep a level head at all times, especially when things are dire. This mostly has to do with the fact that our responsibility goes way beyond just making sure everyone's safe and healthy. Some even go as far as saying that being a mother is the greatest responsibility someone can have. Well, it's hard to argue that one.
But yeah, it doesn't have to be about just earning more; it can be about doing the smart AND the right thing.
It's about doing a lot of little things in a proper way, and no matter what happens, it's about being able to stand proud and tall all the way until the end.
