Whether we are part of a single family, or have a friend who is, most of us know a single parent. And it’s easy to see that these parents don’t get enough credit where it’s due. Not only did they go through a divorce (by choice or force) or lose their partner, they were left to raise their family alone. They may have help from grandparents, family, or the local community but that is not the same as having their children’s actual parent present. No parent expects to be alone, or the sole source of income, or to take complete control and responsibility over their kids.
These parents are working twice as hard to match the income of that of their neighboring families, who have both parents working and making a living. Not only are they working more, but they are also putting in twice the amount of effort in order to fulfill the roles of both parents and make their children happy. They need to ensure their kids feel like they are living a normal life even though they only have one parent and that puts a lot of stress on them.
As a single mother with boys, it can be hard to relate to sports, or typical “boy” things, and a single father probably doesn’t know the first thing about periods or being sensitive. It’s incredibly difficult to replace the influence that a father can have on a son, or a mother on a daughter.
Single parents are becoming more common and it’s about time they get recognized and appreciated for all that they do and all of their efforts, even if they aren’t successful. So cheers to all those single moms and dads working doubles to make sure their kids are able to grow up in a normal home. Filling the shoes of both parents is incredibly hard and if we don’t say it enough, we love and appreciate all that you do!