All the Single Mothers, Put Your Hands Up
Whenever my husband goes out of town for a couple of nights, I’m flabbergasted:
How do single parents do this parenting gig on their own?
For me, the hardest part isn’t even the routines or the crazy amount of work it is on your own. The hard part is the weight of all of the responsibility being on my shoulders. No one to call for backup — it’s all me no matter what happens. There is truly no feeling more adult than that.
But millions upon millions of women do just that every day. They are the sole providers in every sense of the word — financially, physically, emotionally. Take this excerpt from the new blog All the Single Mommas:
According to the United States Census, there were nearly 10 million single mothers living with children younger than 18 in 2015.
That’s a helluva lot of mommas doing it (mostly) on our own in this country.
As I type this, I’m trying to balance care for my toddler while working on my entrepreneurial and passion project. I can’t afford childcare when I’m not getting paid, so the kid’s gotta learn how to handle it when I’m not giving him all of my attention.
I just joined the ranks of single momma-hood earlier this year. I’ve learned a lot so far, but one thing that sticks out for me is this:
All of that intense life-changing shit that happens when you become a parent is magnified tenfold when you become a single parent.
It’s hard as hell.
Sara started the blog when she unexpectedly found herself a single mom of a toddler. Now, she’s building a resource for single moms everywhere; somewhere they can go for resources and support. Much needed support. Because of the most important things in motherhood is knowing that you’re not the only one; you’re not alone. Knowing you’re not the only one struggling is a godsend for any mom, especially, I imagine, for single moms who feel that weight on their shoulders every day. If you or anyone you know is a single mom, get to following on Twitter and Facebook.
What is the hardest part for you when you’re on your own? —Erin