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26 reasons being a single mom is AWESOME (according to readers)

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Maybe you are going through a divorce, got pregnant during a casual relationship, are considering becoming a single mom by choice, by adoption or fostering, or any of the other countless scenarios you can find yourself a single mom.

This can be terrifying. After all, all that responsibility of caring for and paying for a human will likely fall on you.

A while ago a member of our Millionaire Single Moms Facebook group said: “I’m a new mom, expecting in a few months. What POSITIVES can you tell me about single motherhood?” I responded with a few points, and invited other members to share about being single moms. Collectively, we all came to the same conclusion:

Single motherhood might be daunting, but it can also be exhilarating.

In this article, I’ll show you all of the reasons why being a single mom is AWESOME:

How to accept being a single mom

If you’re new to this single motherhood thing, I first want to say welcome to the club. I won’t pretend this won’t be a major transition in your life, but I know once the dust settles, you’re going to love it.

If you recently divorced or separated from a partner — or even if you're entering single motherhood by choice — check out my advice on how to move on and accept a new life as a single mom.

“I love being a single mom.”

When my ex husband left me pregnant, I could not imagine how I would survive. Now, I struggle to imagine a life as a partnered mom. Like many single mothers, I enjoy the autonomy of parenting solo, I cherish my financial and sexual freedom, and I am really proud of what I have accomplished. 

Most of all, I realize how resilient I am — and how resilient we are as humans. Also, it is impossible to know what will make us happy.

What are the benefits of being a single mom? Here are our top 5 tips:

  • You can do what you want as a single mom. Especially if you are a solo parent, you don’t have to negotiate about much at all.
  • You can date!
  • Sex is better after motherhood. New relationship with your body + not giving a shit anymore = AWESOME SEX. [Best dating apps and sites for single parents]
  • You can have a great perception of life that you will model for your child. You’ve gone through it. You know that all those ‘perfect’ families are secretly quirky at best, probably disintegrating, and your friends all confide in you their messed-up marriages, dysfunctional sex lives and all the other perfectly normally messy human foibles. [Are single-mom families whole families?]
  • You may find new and better ways to co-parent with your ex. So many women report being stunned by how much better of a father their kids’ dad is after divorce, and how they find new and improved ways to co-parent with their ex. A co-parenting app may help.

4 tips on how to be a good single mom

  • “You don’t have the expectation of how the other person will act/behave so don’t have to face the disappointment when it doesn’t look/feel like you thought it would. I don’t say that to be cynical, I appreciate that I already know that I have to do it all and can prepare accordingly. Expectations of others can be a real bitch.” —Traci
  • “You will fall in love with your village and yourself. It might not happen right away, but when you look back a month, 6 months, a year out…you start to say to yourself, “Hey! I can do this!” You will learn that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but instead a sign of strength and in the asking you will learn how loved you are. I became a single mom without planning to do so and have been on my own from day 1. It was tough. There were a lot of tears and a lot self-doubt…but I have to say, once I let go of the life I thought I SHOULD have, I was able to start to fall in love with the one I never imagined.” —Ana
  • “You learn to talk to yourself, question yourself, your motives, your joys, what makes you happy, what makes you sad, you learn what works, what doesn’t – you know you need to make it work for you and your little one and in that process you go way out your comfort zone and you learn so much about yourself.You know your weak spots and how to handle them and you really get to know your strengths and how to handle them. For me its just like a big network of super exciting tunnels of depth and you learn every minute. Damn, you feel alive!” —Shana
  • My relationship with my kids is very personal since I became a single mom. In the years since the divorce, I feel like my kids know “me” beyond just who I am to them as a parent. When I was married, I was part of mom and dad. Now, they see me independently. We talk about my job, my goals, even my date prospects (my 8-year-old daughter likes to scrolling through e-dating prospects with me, identifying guys she think would be a good match.) Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed with the work of single parenting. But when I don’t, I feel a stronger connection to my kids than I ever did before.” —Tiffany

9 tips on how to be a happy single mom

  • “You can pick the name, the school, the clothes. If my kid wants to play wearing my bra and a sparkly hat (which he has done) he gets to play wearing my bra and a sparkly hat. I have the most INCREDIBLE bond with my son. We are a team. We have a wonderful village (many members of which we didn’t meet until after he was born, fyi, in case you are worried about your current village or lack thereof.) But we went through a lot in the beginning (prematurity, adoption complications, etc) and we are stronger for it.” —Laura
  • “It’s just FUN. Single mom often carries the image of a downtrodden woman struggling to make ends meet. And while there are certainly shades of that sometimes, it is FUN. I didn’t have to make dinner for anyone when he was a baby so I could sit on the couch or the floor and play with him and make faces to get him to laugh for HOURS if I wanted. Now that he’s older, we can take off when we want and go to the zoo, the children’s museum. We aren’t accountable to anyone but us. Becoming a solo parent was THE BEST thing I could have done with my life.” —Sharon
  • “And although there have been times where I’ve felt overwhelmed, he is so wonderfully awesome that he reminds me every day of my very important job as his mama. I have a tattoo with an anchor and his name. He’s the thing that has always motivated me to stay grounded, make the hard choices, and even if i slip up, knowing he needs me brings me back to reality to keep pushing on. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me.” —Roberta
  • “You certainly become a master at time management and this skill migrates to all areas of life. The motivation to work effectively skyrockets. And my self esteem went up. Not immediately, but really soon :) .” —Stefanie
  • “You ‘know’ more about relationships once you’ve been on both sides of love.” —Shanice
  • “Knowing more + integrating the good of what you’ve learned = wisdom.” —Camilla
  • “When your little one is sleeping you can do what you want, watch what you want on TV (Bravo is my lame addiction that no straight man would understand), eat what you want, not shave your legs, burp, fart, etc. You decide how to parent- no arguments on religion, diet, schools, daycare, health, etc. YOU will be an excellent role model for your child – I love the idea of a 2-parent household – but it’s not always ideal – you can show your child how one person CAN do it all. Even in great relationships the person can still die – and leave you alone – so proving to your child that you can is amazing. No other person to clean up after.” —Briana
  • “You don’t have to share the closet or the bed.” —Christina
  • “Get a good group of friends you can count on to make you laugh and help you unwind. I recently downloaded a friendship app to make friends in my area.” —Leighann

8 tips on how to be a strong single mom

  • “I became a single mom when my oldest was 17 months and I was 5 months preggo with my second. There are struggles, to be sure, but there are so many positives too! I make the decisions and that means I get to take 100% credit for how wonderful my boys are. Proud mom here! Also, learning how to juggle, strategize, multi-task, and problem-solve makes me super confident and has extended into my work / career as well.” —Tia
  • “Travel is so much easier! Sure it’s a lot to juggle, but everyone goes out of their way to help you when traveling. Also, the two of you can conquer anything, that’s very empowering.” —Alex

Tips for taking a road trip with little kids as a single mom

  • “No matter what, you are always stronger than you think you are. You will be amazed at what you can do.” —Nicole
  • “If you move to a town where you thought your dreams would come true… and they don’t… you can pick up and try somewhere else!! There are so many positive things about being a single momma! I simply enjoy the small things, the times we share just her and I… each night after dinner when we cuddle on the couch together and talk about life… or the giggles when we’re sleepy right before she falls asleep… The bond we have is so strong, it is truly like no other. And to watch her grow and thrive! She is so full of love, so happy. My heart overflows with love watching her!” —Alma
  • “I am more confident than ever before. I now know that I can accomplish anything. I can fix a leaky sink, change a car tire, but together a bike and run my own business that I never ever thought would be possible. I love that I am showing my girls that they can do anything with confidence and grace. You will be amazing and cherish every moment. Even the 3am moments as they will just be a blip in time.” —Cassie

9 ways to feel confident when you feel old, gross and fat

  • “One of my married best friends said she was jealous that when I had to breastfeed in the middle of the night I could turn on the lights and watch Netflix while she would carry the baby down the hallway and feed her in the dark and quiet so she wouldn’t wake her husband up. A little thing but a perk! I also think as a single mom my friends and family really rally to make a community for my son when friends or family may not become as involved as much with married parents to avoid intruding or stepping on toes. I also think being a single mom gives me the incentive to make plans and do lots of activities with other people whereas my 4 married siblings seem to stay home with the kids and spouse. I feel like it has made my son really outgoing and open to new experiences and people.” —Sandra
  • “You and others will be awe-struck by your strength and perseverance.
  • “I wish I had known about all of this when I found out I was pregnant 13 years ago. I was so scared! No one had much positive to say to support me at all. Listen to the advice of these ladies! It may seem overwhelming, but you seriously can do this! You will have such a special bond with your child, that no one else will have or can replace! You get to what you want, how you want, when you want! You get to make the best choices for your child!!! All you need is some family and great girl friends to stand beside you, and you have all that you need!!!”

Emma’s takeaway on being a strong, happy and good single mom

I have been writing about single motherhood and interacting via this blog, social media, public speaking, email and other ways since 2012. Here is what I know to be true about life as a single mom:

  • Single motherhood really is what you make it. Mothers who try to win the misery olympics via assumptions and claims of their hardship just because they are single moms do win the misery olympics
  • That said, moms who build their community, including neighbors, friends, school parents, church family, family of origin and colleagues are really the happiest.
  • Moms who focus on building their own, fully life, modeling healthy dating and successful career fare the best — as do their children.
  • Kids thrive when they have both parents in their lives — and successful single moms know that. This can mean that they work hard to co-parent successfully, engage and give space to dads who are not involved, and acknowledge the hardship that it creates when kids do not have equally involved dads (as opposed to pretending that dads don't matter).
  • Good single moms know that kids need a lot of love and attention — but also need independence, free time away from adults, caring relationships with loved ones who are not their moms and generally do not benefit from being helicoptered, coddled, or put in a position to emotionally or socially fulfill their mothers.
  • Money matters and successful single moms focus on growing their careers, earning and investing — opposed to focusing on getting more child support or relying on benefits.

Top highly-paid careers that are great for moms!

7 ways single moms can get their financial act together this year and beyond!

Being a single mom FAQs

If you are new to being a single mom — or thinking about becoming one — you have questions. We have answers!

Are single moms happier?

Another study published in the journal Demography found that single mothers did less housework and spent more time on leisure and sleeping than married mothers. Their explanation? Single mothers didn’t have the desire/need to please a partner, so they spent more time doing things that made themselves happy.

Is being a single parent difficult? Is it hard being a single mom? 

It can be difficult being a single mom, but not taking smart financial steps is going to make it a thousand times worse. Money affects your mental health, the stress level in your house, your access to health care, and your ability to make wise decisions about career / men / family / time.

If you feel really broke all the time, you make those decisions from a place of fear and a poverty mindset. If your bills are paid, your career is growing, you have a little extra money in the bank, your vision for your future includes security, financial wealth, your decisions are more likely to come from a place of abundance and confidence.

The good news is that, thanks to technology and troves of information from experts (like moi) it is easier than ever to get your financial act on track, and gain the confidence you need to build the foundation of an incredible, full life for yourself and your family.

Are all moms stressed out?

Are all moms stressed out? Yeah, pretty much. Washington University researchers found that women across the world found balancing child care with paid work to be stressful — and in the United States, that issue was especially pronounced, as we have the least amount of social support for working parents among developed countries.

Many studies find that single moms are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, isolation and suicide.

In other words: Everyone is stressed out, and you are not a bad mom for being burned out, anxious and angry.

Are all single moms broke?

The majority of single moms are poor and with low education.

A 2018 Pew Research Center analysis found the poverty rate by household head was:

  • 30% of solo mothers
  • 17% of solo fathers
  • 16% of families headed by a cohabiting couples
  • 8% of married couple families

Single motherhood is correlated with lower education and younger age, according to Johns Hopkins:

  • 71% of millennial moms with a four-year college degree were married, and typically were in their 20s when they first gave birth.
  • 74% of millennial moms without a bachelor’s degree were unmarried, and typically had children younger.

Also, the pay gap for single moms is greater than mothers overall, which is larger than for women overall.

Mothers overall suffer a pay gap of 29%, earning an average of 71 cents for every $1 earned by a dad — or an average of $16,000 less per year, according to the National Women’s Law Center. 

This motherhood penalty is dramatically worse for single mothers at 35%. According to Pew Research, single moms with a household of three earn just $26,000 per year on average, compared with $40,000 per year for single dads.

More single mom statistics.

These stories tell an important story, which is also about race, class, education, generational poverty and other issues.

Single mom struggles: How to overcome 9 stereotypes keeping you broke

What do single moms struggle with?

Are all moms stressed out? Yeah, pretty much. Washington University researchers found that women across the world found balancing child care with paid work to be stressful — and in the United States, that issue was especially pronounced, as we have the least amount of social support for working parents among developed countries.

Many studies find that single moms are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, isolation and suicide.

In other words: Everyone is stressed out, and you are not a bad mom for being burned out, anxious and angry.

Is it harder being a single mom or being a married mom?

Look, lots of single people want to get married. They have ideas of ‘the one,’ and/or and sanctified, traditional unions being superior to not having a sanctified traditional union. Or whatever. Everyone has their jam, and for some people, that is marriage.

But not everyone feels like that, and in fact, increasingly fewer people do. To wit:

  • One-in-five adults ages 25 and older have never married, up from 9 percent in 1960, while just 51 percent of adults ages 18 and older are married — marking record lows
  • A Pew / Time magazine survey of 2,691 Americans in association found that nearly four in 10 Americans think marriage is becoming obsolete.
  • That’s an 11 percent spike since 1978
  • Forty-four percent of people between the ages of 18 and 29 saw marriage as obsolete, compared to 32 percent of those 65 and older
  • 57 percent of Millennial moms are unmarried
  • Divorce rates have hovered around the 50 percent mark for four decades

Divorce and remarriage — stats, facts and the hard truth

Per the divorce stat, assuring a divorced person that marriage is right around the corner is absurd. That person has been married, and at least that marriage wasn’t so great for them.

And chances are, marriage wasn’t so great for the condescending married person, either. They just assume that being a single mom is so hard, and they want it not to be hard for you. Or, they are miserable in their marriage and want some company so they stop feeling so torn about whether to leave.

I know.

By nature of my public work around family and romance, and the fact that I’m a single, divorced mom unabashedly out in the world, I am perhaps especially likely to hear, via clandestine emails, murmurs by the booze table when the husband is on the other side of the party, about how so many married people really feel about their sanctimonious union.

“He does absolutely nothing around the house  — and I make all the money!”

“He hasn’t showed interest in sex in years.”

“I am living vicariously through your dating life.”

“I hate him and have been trying to divorce him for years.”

“I really, really want to get back to work. But he won’t let me.”

“She has zero sex drive, and we haven’t had a night without one of the fucking kids in our bed in eight years.”

“We fight all the time.”

“She shops and goes to yoga every day, and acts like she is so exhausted after I get home from 12 hours at the office.”

“We’re miserable. Have been for years. We’re waiting for the kids to go to college.”

“That tank top is so pretty on you. Really. No, really. What’s your number?”

And any number of other confessions about the dissatisfaction and/or horrors of marriage.

All of which highlights the hypocrisy and self-denial that is inherent in so many married people — an institution, along with the nuclear family, that is still upheld as a gleaming ideal, despite the fact that both models are waning in practice or sustainability.

In fact, the majority of families today are NOT nuclear families, thanks to the increases in single-parent households, gay partnership and marriage, multi-generational families and any number of configurations in which people define “family” — whether by choice, circumstance, desperation or because, well, stuff happens, both beautiful and ugly.

All of which is really beside the point.

The point is: My experience as a single person, whether I’m happy or not, whether I’m looking for a spouse, partner, date, lay, adult conversation, to work out my daddy issues, to not be lonely when my kids are with their dad, for professional gain or find someone to pay my bills, is zero commentary on your life, spouse or marriage. 

[Best dating apps for single parents]

You are on your own path, and I am, too — and maybe there is a shimmering pot of ever-after matrimony at the end of your trip, or maybe you just enjoy the ride, and understand that everyone’s journey — married, single, partnered, dating, celibate, open relationship, serial monogamous, whatever — is full of heartbreak and joy, fun and misery, and ultimately, thankfully for those of us who live in a free and Western world, one of your own making.

Bottom line: Being a single mom can be more rewarding than you imagine

Shit happens, and a full, happy life can be composed of experiences and people and situations that you never imagined. Be open-minded, forgiving, flexible.

As I mentioned, I love being a single mom. How would you answer this question: Why do I like being a single mom? I hope you have more reasons now.

Here are some of our top resources for single moms:

Free laptops$500 monthly single mom grant
Free clothesScholarships for single moms
Free carFree Christmas gifts
Free smartphoneGovernment assistance for single moms
Free wifiFree and low-cost prescriptions
Free formulaFree diapers
Free gasFree toys
Free daycareAffordable dentures
Free prescription glassesFree money
10+ charities that help single mothersTutoring and homework help
Free or low-cost after school programsHealth insurance
Cash for junk carsFree food
Dumpster divingFree school supplies
Free housing

What are the benefits of being a single mom?

You can do what you want as a single mom, especially if you are a solo parent, you don’t have to negotiation about much at all.

Is being a single parent difficult?

It can be difficult being a single parent, but not taking smart financial steps is going to make it a thousand times worse. Money affects your mental health, the stress level in your house, your access to health care, and your ability to make wise decisions.

Is it hard being a single mom?

t can be hard being a single mom, but not taking smart financial steps is going to make it a thousand times worse.

Are all single moms broke?

The majority of single moms are poor and with low education. Single motherhood is correlated with lower education and younger age, according to Johns Hopkins.

36 Comments

What is a single mother doing running around having sex? How is that beneficial to her or her children?

Absolutely. Rule number one for any single mom out there: do NOT enjoy yourself or your own body.
Come on Mariah really?
Live that way if that’s your choice but don’t shame other mommys for different choices.

Almost midnight… I am a single mother of two, by choice. To add insult to the injury, I even paid for sperm donation.
I’m not rich. My kids have all they need, but I’m certainly not the kind that drives expensive cars.
I wouldn’t be so sure about being able to date as you wish. I did have the best sex while being a single mom, but this is not something you get every day. Every day, you get diapers.
I agree about people confiding in me. I am seen as a menace (how can women survive without men?!), with envy (she gets to be free and I don’t), and as a hero (she did it!). The combination is not at all successful, as I get a lot of backlash especially from the first two categories.
On the other hand, I must admit, every time I see people divorce, and the filth that comes with the child custody battles, I congratulate myself for having had the brains to stay alone.
When we go on holidays, and we cross the border, I don’t have to show any papers to justify I’m not stealing the kids. I can see sometimes the hatred on the customs officers’ faces, when they realize I don’t obey anyone, and I don’t need anyone’s approval to travel (it’s Western Europe I’m talking about, not an Islamic country).
On a global note, I don’t think there were many times I felt sorry for my choice, but there certainly were many times when I felt happy with my choice.
As time goes by, and I see the misery of others, I start realizing how many things I have, that they don’t, and never will.
Evenings are not adult time. Evenings are for the children. We watch cartoons.
Free time is to talk about school, about my eldest son’s girl friend, about the activities we’ll plan for the weekend. This debate is between me and the children, not between me and another adult, and then the kids would better follow. And when they go to sleep, I’m done and I can go to sleep, too.
We play at the playgrounds. We do “pencil battles”. We’re not on the clock when doing this, and there’s no one stomping behind me to put the kids to sleep faster, so we can “do our stuff”.
I don’t have to find places to drop them so I can have ‘adult time’.
To sum it up, I get my time and time with them, and that’s it. There’s so much more time to do things, when you divide time only between two sets of interests, rather than three.
Some argue, on one hand you win time, on the other you lose time, because you don’t have someone to share chores with. While this is valid for functional relationships, such relationships are a minority, not a majority- in spite of appearances. And at a totally cynical level, it’s cheaper to get someone to clean the house once a week, than to waste hours everyday trying to make work something that is fundamentally dysfunctional.
There’s also the argument, if you couldn’t get prince charming, it’s because you’re not a good woman. Doesn’t hold really, the issue is a lot deeper, what we want at 20, we might not want at 40, and, statistically, the chance that 2 people change the exact same way, is very slim. In fact, there’s a lower divorce rate within categories where people don’t change.
Finally, there’s one more thing I feel worthy of mentioning, there’s a huge difference between being alone, and becoming alone. For me, there is no loss, and no trauma. This is how I am, this is how we live. My kids are old enough to see they have everything kids with two parents have, maybe even more for them, as they don’t share the mother with another adult. It’s not the same when you become alone. My neighbor just moved in, she’s divorcing. She’s all about loss. About what she had and doesn’t have anymore. About how to cover for the loss the children feel. This is a lot harder than starting out single, and the worst part in this cases is that women transition from the financial security of a marriage to having to pull their own weight. When you do this (pull your weight) all your life, it’s nothing special. When you start doing it at 40 or 50, it’s a lot more difficult.

Only those who experience being single moms can relate …. love this ! And to all the haters out there ….get a life bc mothers/moms can do it all these days !!

Yes! I do it all, and I don’t feel stressed or overwhelmed! In contrast, I think I WOULD feel overwhelmed if I had to cater to a man’s needs on top of my childrens’ needs.

Well i have to say as a single mummy to 4 amazing children i found this post god awful to read and very disgraced if anyone has this reality as a single mum i mean come off it you get to do what u want when u want??? Really i cant take a shit in peace……you get to decide their name school etc…..so no father involved then?? Shamefull….my children love and respect their father and he has parental rights so has been and will be involved in all of these aspects…..you get to have awesome sex with whoever whenever??? Clearly im missing out NOT have some god damn reapect for yourself!! As a single parent of 4 amazing kids my kids come first i made that choice i chose to have my children and i will raise them to be the best they can be……when u have children its no longer about u!!!! Its about them i found this post to be very selfish all i saw was me, i, my….. i will never be this self centered parent…… real life of a single mummy….up at 6am get the kids organised get breakfast, their teeth brushed faces washed nappies changed for the baby…. get to school on time….home do washing, make beds do chores….get dinner preped… i run an at home cake business so may have to make a cake to pay some bills…. grocery shopping…..pick tribe up from school take them to gymnastics, cadettes… home get dinner…..homework….playtime….baths…. let them watch some tv until dishes are done….bedtime story then sleep at 8pm… this is where u run about like a lunitic…. have a coffee….run a bath….hoover…..pack school bags…organise clothes…..make sure shoes are polished….lunches done and in fridge….go in a bath and get to bed to get up and do it all again tomorrow…… when my children are away i catch up on ironing….make meals wash all their bedding so they come home to nice clean sheets….more grocery shopping…..might watch a movie but always fall asleep 10 minutes after it starts…..prepare to feel overwhelmed at times….prepare to feel tired and prepare to feel like your failing sometimes but ur not!! As for dating……not a chance i dont have time for it right now and i am happily content with that as i have my children and they need me more than i need a man……the real account of single motherhood from a more realistic point of view!!!!

wow thanks a lot for taking any good or positive points out of being a single parent. I read a lot more here than being able to sleep with whoever you want!! Why didn’t you just tell everyone to go slit their wrists you damn negative nancy!!!!!

Sometimes the father doesnt want to be involve in the parenting. why she says pick up the school and those stuff. This is her and the baby. Maybe you are lucky enough to have a good relationship and kids respect their father and love him. Not everyone is that lucky and have to deal with motherhood completely alone

It’s rare that men don’t want their kids. What is more common is that women tie the kid to themselves. If the dad betrayed her, he doesn’t deserve his kid. 60% of the time custody goes to women automatically. The other 40% is when men spend thousands of dollars to be in their kids life or the mom truly is a POS. This article and anecdotal accounts are pure nonsense. Can you love things about being a single mom? Humans have this one ability that helps us survive all types of trauma. It’s called adaptability. A prisoner will find happiness in their environment. You have no choice but to or else you become twisted and insane. One is the one common thread in all of these stories? Tiredness and loneliness. Work, work, work.

When I was younger the military doctors told me that I couldn’t have kids normally. I was previously married and with that person for about 5 yrs. No kids. I had a child with a gf that was living with me. I’ve always been there because as a child of a single mom, I KNOW the toll it takes on child and mother. My son’s mother chose to move him 2000 miles away so that his only interactions with me were through phone and the few times that the courts allowed me to have him. He’s on a good path in college. We’ve always had a bond that I maintained but now at 18, out of his mothers house, he is asking me more and more questions about life and manhood and how to move through the world.

I see a lot about me me me in this article. No thought to the impact on the child. It’s selfishness and stupidity. Imagine making your life harder because you want to fulfill a selfish need. That’s insanity.

Until you have a viable partner, don’t have kids, adopt kids or think about it. Work on yourself so that you understand how to pick a good man. Get married and do it the correct way.

You’re this busy, and you’re polishing shoes??

I grew up with both parents, and my father was the best dad ever. Unfortunately, my ex husband didn’t step up to that role, and the thing is that for us, as women, gone are the “some day my prince will come” times when we have to wait for that prince to marry us in order for us to have children… and then finding out he’s really the devil in prince’s clothing. Some of us wait too long for that prince, and then can’t get pregnant because our eggs are too old! Carpe Diem, ladies! If you’re lucky enough to find that prince who adds great things to your life, then that’s a wonderful thing. But don’t hold out for him – they don’t make men like they used to.

You missed the point of this article, Grinch. It was about looking for the positives in a situation that could be so difficult and stressful! It was about women lifting up other women when it’s most needed.

I get married at 18, right after my first daughter was born. She was so beautiful and sweet, she certainly did my days happier.
As a teen, she became a smart, independent and brave little woman, until her dad started to belittle her. He’d call her fat and laugh at every single dream she had, saying she’d never be able to do that.
It broke my heart every single time I saw the pain in her eyes, because she idolized her father so much.
At the age of 14, my little princess, Casey, ran away. Took months to find her, and when we managed to get her back, she decided to move to her grandparents’ house, because she called our house “toxic”. After that, she stopped talking to us and we rarely saw her.
I got divorced and never will forgive him for pushing me away from my daughter.
I remarried and had five beautiful babies: four boys and a girl. We got divorced and I became a single mom. Best choice ever.
The dad is still around but I’m mainly in charge, and it’s great. My kids are so happy and I wish I could have gave my daughter that opportunity.
My girl is now a mom of her own and we are trying to fix our relationship, but it’s not easy.
Anyway, what I mean is: SINGLE MOTHERHOOD ROCKS!!
You can raise your kids how you want to, have sex with whoever you want to (bye, “is he the one?” pressure) and being able to leave your kids with daddy when you want to have a break.
Love your blog Emma, it helped me so many times with my kids in the last couple years. Stay awesome!
Xx

I laughed and cried at this, I can relate to it all. I remember feeling terrified two and a half years ago the night before I gave birth. This post would have been perfect in that moment. Taking on single parenthood – albeit finding yourself thrown unexpectedly in the deep end – truly is the most rewarding personal journey you can ever venture on. The challenges make the successes that much more sweet.

That may be true, but the statistical effects on Society are plain as day: households with 2 parents do better across the board. And there are those politically motivated to accelerate the destruction of the family.

Your statistical information is incorrect. Children are best raised in a loving supportive environment. Trauma shrinks children’s brains and one of the biggest issues in families is Domestic Violence. Nearly one in two relationships at a point in time. You also no one person can complete another. I love all the positive quotes and feedback. People should be valued on who they are and their values not on their titles. Single Mums rock.

You missed the point jenifer, but for sure this paragraph…”There were a lot of tears and a lot self-doubt…but I have to say, once I let go of the life I thought I SHOULD have, I was able to start to fall in love with the one I never imagined.” Nobody said that being a single mom is “cool”, this is an article about support , love and finding beauty in being a single Mom. You are a sad girl jenifer.

Thank you so much for this article it helped decrease my fear and increase my strength and excitement for me and my 8 month old nugget

I genuinly hope this trend of young children being left for whatever the reason to be raised by only one parent ceases, our culture here in states has never seen so much hardship for children are basically not as happy and eventually will seek and want the other parent and also experience deep insecurities about themselves simply because the other parent was not in their lives, kids feel something is wrong and automatically feel it is their fault the other parent is not around and in their lives.
TO THE author of this article my dear friend and fellow mother, you should truly desire for your child to get to have the other parent in their lives as no matter how imperfect they may be, their presence will add tremendeous stability and confidence in your child and your little nugget would feel complete knowing there is that very important connection in their lives, never berate the importance of two parents…. or life will never have been rigged that way … Visnja

It depends on the circumstances. I disagree with your comments. You can always show good examples of good marriages to show how parents should relate to one another. If one parents commits a crime against their own child will you place your child in trauma?

Um, the blog is called “WEALTHY Single Mommy.” Some of us are fortunate enough to be wealthy without being reliant upon a man’s income, and it’s so empowering and so freeing. I love being a single mom. I wouldn’t do it any other way.

Really, well I know lots of Single Mothers who are really wealthy. I guess it depends on whether they choose to create the life they dream of or choose to be victims. There are many people like that, not just single Mums.

This article is SAD at very best, trying to make the single parenting into this beautiful thing which naturally is not. This mother if she really thinks as genuine parent will not say or think ” I am so happy not to share my nugget with the other parent “. So many reasons to explain why other parent is not needed, if that is the case we all will be raised ideally with only mom and dad and be without other parent our most formative and most important time of our lives. How could you glorify single parenting, it is not true!!
Ideally we know truth is kids do best with both biological parents, definitely, without fail. Kids need both mom and dad. They DO. This is the fact. Lets simply acknowledge this. If we end up without the other spouse for whatever reason and alone in raising our child we certainly do our best we certainly try to compensate for those things the other parent would do.

Shame on you to judge. No one is glorifying single parenting, and in most cases it is not the desired plan, but it happens. A toxic relationship between parents in front of children is far more damaging- I think many can concur given the low rates of divorce in the past! Single motherhood is filled with tons of work, guilt, struggles- but with the right support system and attitude, it can be liberating and positives for the mother and for the children. A happy parent makes for happy children. I agree- how the parents handle the separation and communication to child is vital for the child well being- and it would be encouraged (if possible) for both parents to take a co-parenting class or even counseling. However, for your comment, it was hurtful to me and I’m sure many women, but I wont give it another thought after this and Ill tell you why. Getting out of my marriage was both the toughest and best decision I have ever made in my life for BOTH me and my kids. I’m proud that they will see a happier me and their dad, see the strength in both of us, and not be exposed to dysfunctional relationship/family life just for the sake of having two parents @ home and to satisfy society and people like you! Shame, shame, shame

No one said single parenting is beautiful or good for he kids involved. Of course is best for kids to grow with both parent figures. If your marriage is happy and harmonious. But when you have no other choice because your husband doesn’t work for 6 years, no plans to look for a job, only watches porn and football all day when he around, rejects you sexually for years, rejects you emotionally , gets angry at you without you knowing the reason, stops talking to you and give you the cold shoulder for more than 10 days, disappears for up to 3 months and lives you alone with the baby when you have to overcome an operation at that time, at the last moment he dicides to take the flight for our vacations and the only way you got pregnant was via IVF because he does touch you. What kind of example your kid is getting? To live in a disfuctional marriage? Is that better that being a single mother? I found this article empowering, because when you are already in a huge dark hole and want to get out of it because you have lost all yourselve esteem, your dignity, your will and hope. What one neess is the positive things from other single mothers and what they say. I personally think this article has inspired me to get out of my dark hole. Where I have to pay everything, take care of my baby all by myself, where I am neglected and emotionally abused. While my husband watches porn and football all day long or simply is not there. I just wanted to hear it is possible to be happy as a single mom. I prefer to be a happy single mother than a miserable wife that has to do everything, work and pay everything while my husband is in complete denial. Thank you for the post .

Then why did you have kids with him? My wife married her HS sweetheart. They were married for 10 years. Not one kid. Why? Because he was a POS and she saw it. When they divorced, she was single, fit and childless. Now at 48 she has two beautiful kids and a husband that is a provider. Please don’t blame others for the choices you made.

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