Ever wonder what it’s like to be a single parent? When I was married, I often wondered how single parents coped and managed on their own with no back-up. And then, with no warning or time to plan, I myself became that single parent. I never expected that I would become a single mom, and frankly when I did, I took it on full-speed ahead and never looked back. I embraced the role and decided that I would put on a brave face and go with it.
It always amazes me that when people hear that I am a divorced single parent they feel badly for me.
I mean, why do people have to “feel sorry” for those of us that are divorced?
But as it happens, many people who hear that I am...
I just spent 48 hours on my own – no kids, ALONE……
As a single mother of two I rarely have any time without my kids. I am the primary caregiver for my daughters. In my world this means that they live with me full time and spend most of their time with me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. However, it’s not common for me to have a weekend without my daughters being at home.
As many of you know by now, I am a single mother, and I have 2 amazing daughters. My daughter Grace is a full-fledged teenager, and my daughter Nora has entered her tween years. Our home is an all-female environment – right down to our cuddly dog, Peaches.
I recently participated in a 7-day gratitude challenge. A friend of mine nominated me, and the directions were quite simple. I had to post 3 things a day, for seven days, for which I was grateful. I also was required to nominate at least 3 other people to follow suit and participate as well. I figured this was one of those challenges that would be easy, seeing as in my opinion I am and have always been an extremely grateful person.
Mother's Day has always been something that I have felt proud and privileged to be a part of. In May 2001, I was 6 months pregnant with my my oldest child and I remember a friend of mine giving me a Mother's Day card designed specifically for a "mother-to-be." I was so excited for the new adventure in mothering that was about to unfold.
At that time, I was married. I expected that my "mommy experience" was going to follow the intact family path - one with a mommy and a daddy living under the same roof and raising their children as a unit.
There are moments in motherhood that take our breath away. There are the lovely moments, like when we hear our children giggle, when we feel the warmth of a hug and a wet sloppy kiss or just the everyday mother-child banter. There are also more difficult moments that can leave a mom feeling breathless, like willing a child’s fever to break or watching them struggle with a painful social situation.
So let me give to you straight and honest – I AM TIRED!
Motherhood, for most of us, is an exhausting experience. The early mornings, late evenings, and on-going day to day activities can leave most moms feeling both physically and mentally drained.
As a single mother there are two things that people often ask me:
“How do you manage to do everything by yourself” and “Isn’t it hard to be alone all of the time?”