Sure, sometimes things are going well and our single-parent world and family are all humming along with love, passion and purpose. The bills are paid, our child is happy and healthy, and life feels purposeful and productive. Sometimes. At other times, things get rough and bumpy and it really is all about just getting through. Sometimes, the focus is just on survival…
When those survival times come on, it doesn’t mean that we are failing. It can surely seem as though we’ve done something wrong, or that when we look around–everyone else has got it better than we do and our single-parenthood must certainly be an albatross around our weary necks. But, in reality, everyone gets tough times and even if ours seem tougher, they are only temporary and there will be brighter days ahead. I promise.
I will admit to you right here and now that there have been weeks and weeks where I have thought that I would never be able to afford to buy a new pair of jeans for myself or get my hair cut again–that the focus had to be just on making sure my kids were fed and clothed and that we had a roof over our heads–pure, simple survival. It’s okay and it is normal to feel stressed and exhausted. But, we CAN do this–and, the tough times will pass. We can turn to our support system and ask for help, find community resources, or just take time out to feel good and grateful and concentrate on what is going well. After all, to “survive” means to “remain alive in spite of” and “to continue to live and exist” (according to my desk dictionary). We can do this, good times will come again and focusing on the daily details and requirements will get us through.
Also: Single Parents Still Have Choices
Unexpected Outcomes of Single Parenting