The Single Mom Debate

Being a single parent doesn't necessarily mean you are physically single.  You can be a single parent if you have a spouse that is in the military while they are away for great lengths of time, or if you have a spouse who travels for work a lot. Michelle Obama referred to herself as a "busy single mom". I mean come on, she is married to the President?!  How can she claim that...but really I'm sure she has "felt" that at times she is doing it alone.

She then self corrected herself in saying "Believe me, being a busy single mom - or I shouldn't say single, as a busy mother.....Sometimes you know, when you have a husband as President, you can feel a little single.  But he is there" She is essentially saying that she sometimes feels as though she does it alone.  And I can empathize, that yes, she probably does "feel" alone at times.

Just because a partner is physically present doesn't mean a parent can't feel that he or she is taking on the role of raising their children alone.

Single parenting doesn't necessarily have anything to do with relationship status...but relationship status certainly factors into it.  Single parenthood, I think can be defined by the level of social, financial, and custodial responsibility one assumes for the child/children.

I also saw this meme that was circulating on Twitter and Facebook.......when the anonymous married father who posted this was asked why he did so...his response was that basically he feels as though some people use the single mom term to pretend they are going through a struggle.  He feels as though some successful people pretend that they grew up rough....Mothers with GOOD fathers who pretend that they're in the same position as women who do it alone.

He went on to say that he knew women who had their children 7 days a week with little to no social interaction from the father, who paid everything, without the help from government assistance, who kept up with their childrens' educational and extracurricular activities .  To him that is being a single parent...and he's not wrong.

He says its a slap in the face to the women who really do it all alone.  I appreciate him "sticking up" for those who really do it all alone.

While I don't disagree with his thought process....I think that if we have ever cared for our children at any length alone or with out equal involvement or participation from the other parent, we can all empathize with single parenting experiences.

It's not about "us"verses "them" in the arena of motherhood.......being a mom is being a mom...Mothering is mothering is mothering.  End of story.  It's ALL hard, who am I to say who has it worse......It's a tough job and only a MOM can do it!  ;)

Here's to ALL the moms out there!  God bless!

Love,

Marcy