More Power to You

There are many reasons why people become single parents. Divorce, death, failed relationships and choice. I know a number of people that have chosen to adopt and raise a child(ren) on their own. Single parents male or female generally face the same challenges although single mothers have to deal with the extra burden of stigma.

There are many single dads who wear that badge with pride and do an amazing job with their kids. But allow me to focus on the single mothers because of all the flak they have to take from every Tom, Dick and Harry. Look, every single mother’s story is different. People don’t go to a school somewhere to learn how to be a single mother nor do they catch it like some disease.There is always another side of the story that you might never and don’t need to know as you peck away at your keyboard in your crusade against single mothers.

Most of  All of the single mothers I know are decent, hardworking and all round awesome people doing the very best for their children. Some are the very best in their spheres of work. Some of the most fantastic people I know were raised by single mothers but somehow society has found a way to blame its problems on single mothers. There are people who have made it their life’s mission to belittle,despise and denigrate single mothers every chance they get. Never mind that children don’t fall from the sky. We see women stuck  in dangerous and abusive relationships because they can’t leave for fear of being labeled single mothers. They can’t live with the whispers in the village or the insults of strangers (women and men alike) on the internet. They stay, they suffer, their children suffer.

To the single mothers,

Don’t let the opinions of ‘society’ make you question your worth as a mother or as a human being. You’re bringing up another human being, taking care of them when they’re unwell, giving them an education, shaping them, protecting them, feeding them etc all by yourself!! It’s no mean feat. Grown men run away from it all the time. Bring up your children to be good human beings, that’s how we win. Some of these people that despise you can’t even keep a pet fish alive for a week. Keep your head up.

That girl friend, the chief whisperer, the same one that is always giving you the ‘worried eye’ because they are afraid you’re going to “steal” their man lol, because for them a single mother is to be feared, that one is not your friend sister girl, cut them loose. Make no time for the dude bros that show up because they think you’re easy pickings. Raise the bar. It’s okay to be choosy about who you let into your life. Do it for you and your child(ren).

To the single mothers who have chosen to be a mother to a child who would have otherwise been motherless, I salute you. You didn’t have to but you did anyway. You chose to give a precious child a home and change their lives forever. You gave up everything because when you get a child, they take over your whole life. It doesn’t get any more loving than that. Bless you.

To the other mothers because you never really know when you will make that choice or life will make it for you, just raise your children to be decent human beings. To be kind, to treat other people with respect.