The Ups & Downs of Being a Single Mom

Being a single mom can be one the most rewarding and frustrating thing I have ever done.  I would never trade in being a mom for anything!  It is something I knew I was meant to be.  To hear that little man say mom, or that baby girl say ma-ma are a couple of the best sounds in the world.  Those two kids make each day worth living for.

Being a single mom, I am there for everything, and I mean EVERYTHING!  I work for my parents, so Aiden and Abby come to work with me everyday.  I am basically with them 24-7.  Aiden now is only there in the afternoons, but he has been going to work with me since he was born.  His dad was away working for the 1st year of his life, so it was just me and him, but I had the emotional support from Chris.  Having that type of support made him being over seas worth it.  Now, that type of support is not there, so I am truly a single mom.  I am there for every milestone, fall, stinky diaper...you get the idea, I am really there for everything.  I know many SAHM can relate to this.  I love being able to say I was there for all of their firsts.  I wouldn't trade any of it for anything.

The opposite side of the spectrum, is the frustrating part of being a single mom.  I don't have the emotional or physical support of a partner.  I rely on my parents for a lot, like being able to go to the grocery store by myself (one of my luxuries in life).  I am the good guy and the bad guy with the kids.  It is me, and only me.  Their dad ran off to work overseas again during the process of getting divorced, so I didn't have his help in raising our children, or even the birth of Abby.  It is also hard with Aiden having Autism, I deal with the meltdowns on my own.  That can be one of the hardest things, that is when emotional support would be most needed.  So when you see me and you say that I look tired, you know why now. 

Does the good outweigh the bad?  Yes.  My children have shaped me into the person that I am today.  They make me realize that maybe I am doing something right.  Those smiles and hugs are worth the price of gold to me.  I really can't wait to hear I love you mommy from one of them one day.  I bet any parent would say the same thing.  I might be a single parent, but it doesn't change the fact that I am a parent, and I am proud to say that I am raising two of my best accomplishments!