Search Results for: blog single parent spending alone time with little time

On the Eve of Valentine’s

As a single parent, Valentine’s Day can be a difficult holiday. While the rest of the world is expressing their love and affection for one another, you are alone. My first Valentine’s Day on my own was tough. It was only two week after my husband had left and I was going through a painful divorce, but I tried to make the best of it. So I made a tradition of taking Logan to the zoo. It was a special time for just the two of us to celebrate our love for each other. The next year was a little … Continue reading →

When Life Gets in the Way

Since I’ve been parenting alone it seems as if life gets in the way a lot. There are certain things that simply have to be done and sometimes those things get in the way of effective parenting. Tonight was one of those nights. As a busy full time student I normally try my hardest to work on homework during times when Logan is asleep or at his dad’s. Unfortunately, that is not always possible. Some nights the amount of work simply cannot be done without cutting into some mommy time. I had a big presentation for tomorrow. One that I … Continue reading →

Confessions of a Single Mom

When they placed my son in my arms over four years ago there were some things I swore I would never do. As a single mom it got harder to keep all those promises to myself and as guilty as I feel, I have done a fair number of them. So here it goes, here are a few confessions from a single mom. This morning my son had chips for breakfast. We were a half an hour late for church, his shoes were on the wrong feet, I couldn’t find my keys (as usual), and I had to gather all … Continue reading →

Tummy Troubles

Last night I was reminded how hard it is to be a single mother of a toddler. I kept my friend’s three year old over night. I love spending time with this little girl, we played games and watched movies. In the middle of the night I heard a noise, it was sweet little Ivy, she had thrown up in her bed. Now if there are two parents one of them can clean up the child while the other ones strips the bed. Since there was only me, I cleaned Ivy up and tucked her into my bed. By that … Continue reading →

Chasing Happiness

“Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” –Thoreau After my divorce I was searching for anything that could bring some sort of happiness into my life. My identity had become so wrapped up in my marriage that without it I felt completely empty. I searched for anything that could alleviate the pain I was feeling. The harder I searched, the less I found, and the more frustrated I became. I felt like because … Continue reading →

Blame It On Being Single

It’s tough being a single parent as anyone with any experience will tell you, but do you find yourself using the fact that you are a single parent to avoid doing other things? I know I am guilty of that. Take exercise for example. When I first got divorced I didn’t want to leave Hailey home alone while I went to the gym, it was bad enough that she was home alone after school every day. So I didn’t exercise. When she got a little older I told myself that I needed to be home because teenagers need to know … Continue reading →

Alone for the Holidays

This time of year can be emotional for many single parents. Having to share the holidays can be difficult for both the parents and the child. I remember the night my ex husband left. The very first thing that came to mind was not having my son Christmas morning. I still get a pit in my stomach just thinking about it. I firmly believe that this is the absolute hardest part of being divorced. One of the greatest joys of being a parent is waking up Christmas morning to see the look on your children’s faces when they see their … Continue reading →

Christmas Debt

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is out and about trying to get their shopping done for the holidays. Some of you may have even braved the Black Friday sales last week. As a single parent money is always tight. Most of us are living paycheck to paycheck. There’s barely enough money to provide the essentials, let alone everything else. There is rarely any money left over at the end of the month as it is. The thought of having to find a way to finance Christmas on top of that can be more than a little daunting for … Continue reading →

Extreme Couponing

Last night, my husband and son were gone, so I took the opportunity to do what any woman finding herself alone in the house would do – I watched “Extreme Couponing.” I am both fascinated and appalled in some instances by this whole concept. I’ve always used coupons, if I have them for something I need. But, on last night’s episode, there was a single mother of two who couldn’t work. She and the kids were living at her parent’s house. Since she couldn’t work (I don’t think she ever gave the reason why), she used her extreme couponing acumen … Continue reading →

Instant Meditation

If you’d like to try meditation but aren’t sure how to start, here are some quick and easy tips for meditation on the go. Basic meditation in a quiet place: sit or lay in a quiet room without distractions like television or radio. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Breathe slowly and steadily — count to three or four on each inhale and exhale. Basic meditation with a mantra: sit or lay in a quiet room without distractions. Close your eyes and repeat your mantra — a short phrase, word, or sound — on each inhale and exhale. … Continue reading →