This time I opted for a movie title instead of a song title because I Am Woman just didn’t quite say it all. Parenting in any form is not for the fainthearted. For the solo mom it is nothing less than a legendary feat. No disrespect to the solo dads out there but you all have a cheering public fawning over your every youtube video just for combing hair. DO WE NOT COMB HAIR??
In re-organizing my life to accommodate work, grad school and 330+ days of 24/7 parenting, I have discovered how amazing I really am and I’m not alone. Thirty-four percent of all households are headed by single parents and four out of five of those homes are headed by single moms. That’s a marked change when compared to the stats of even one generation ago. While the demise of the traditional nuclear family comes with challenges, there are many of us making it work gloriously in spite of having to get the car serviced, take out the trash and throw a football in work attire–usually simultaneously. Making it work takes chutzpah, moxie and a whole lot of creativity. It also takes a village (mine is so AMAZING!) so if you see a single mom, show her some love, preferably in the form of a casserole or having her car serviced!
Solo parenting is a reality for a lot of us out here and it’s a big job. But as one unnamed single mom said on social media, in each moment “there’s freedom, beauty, bravery, strength and grace”. Moms, for all you do, this post’s for you!