Search Results for: blog the stages of being alone

The Stages of Being Alone

When you first get divorced you go through the stages of grief. You are mourning a loss, even if you initiated that divorce or were in an abusive relationship, it’s still a loss. Under the pain of the divorce lies all your hopes and dreams, that is what you are mourning, what could have been. One of the first things you have to come to terms with when you divorce is being alone. When your children are with you it may seem that you never have a moment to yourself, but this is a different type of loneliness. Initially you … Continue reading →

Different Stages Of Parenting

It’s amazing how our role as parents change in ways we could have never predicted. When my daughter was born I was full of sunshine and lollipops. This was the best, smartest, most beautiful baby ever! My baby would never throw a temper tantrum or disobey; she would always be reasonable and willing to listen to Mommy and Daddy because we know best. We were going to be best friends, my baby girl and I, always doing things together, painting our nails, talking, baking, decorating the Christmas tree, pure bliss I tell you. Those first few months, when really, she … Continue reading →

You Are Not Alone

When you are a single parent sometimes, you feel alone. You don’t know what to do or where to turn for help. We all have friends and family that we can talk to but will they understand? If all of your friends and family are raising their children in two parent households they may not understand how you feel or be able to understand the challenges that come from being a single parent. Often we feel like people will judge us for our choices, even if they don’t say it out loud, we are afraid they are thinking we did … Continue reading →

Learning to Play Alone

When my youngest son was a toddler, I recall being at a parenting class that was covering various developmental stages for growing children. Watching how differently my son—the baby of three children very close together—was developing had me worried. I raised my hand and asked the facilitator if he would be developmentally “behind” if he never learned how to play alone? She looked perplexed as I went on to explain that he came into a family with a lot going on and when he wanted to play—he went to a PERSON, not a toy. In his toddler world, there was … Continue reading →

We All Have Our Reasons

I recently met a woman at the gym and we’ve become gym buddies. Last week after our Zumba class we were in the parking lot talking. She knows I’m a single mother and she confided in me that she is thinking of asking her husband for a divorce. I told her I was sorry and asked what the problem was, her answer? He drives a truck for a living and is gone most of the time, she is tired of him never being home. I took her out to coffee and we talked more. Her stance on single parenthood is … Continue reading →

Dating as a Single-Parent

Within a few weeks of my divorce people were already anxiously waiting to set me up. I desperately wanted to move on with my life, but was still grieving the loss of my marriage. I battled with myself constantly. At first I just wanted to fill the void that was left when my ex walked out. I felt an intense loneliness that I wanted nothing more than to be rid of. My self-esteem was shot and I honestly thought, “Who in the world is going to want me now? I’m divorced and have a three year old. Who in their … Continue reading →

Copy to Learn

If you haven’t been keeping track of my other blog you may not know that in addition to be a student and a teacher I’m also a father (and the Fatherhood blogger here at Families.com at present). Being a father (or a mother) opens your eyes to the very beginning stages of learning in a human being’s life. Our son is amazing. He’s constantly learning and progressing at a break neck pace that I can’t quite comprehend. If all of us kept learning at the pace of young children for our entire lives humanity would have cured every disease and … Continue reading →

Watching Alzheimer’s Progress From Afar

Back when I lived in New Jersey, I was one of the main caretakers for my grandmother. I lived with her, so it was usually easy enough for me to handle insulin injections for her diabetes, daily meds (for various health conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease), grooming, and light cleaning. In May 2007, I moved out. I was feeling too stressed and frustrated with the caretaking duties, and starting to have disturbing dreams about hurting her deliberately. That was when I said enough was enough. I didn’t want there to even be a chance of those dreams becoming reality. It’s been … Continue reading →

Living Close to Family

Families that live close to each other are happiest, have less cancer and less disease. This was one of the interesting points raised in ‘This is Your Brain on Joy – A Revolutionary Program for Balancing Mood, Restoring Brain Health, and Nurturing Spiritual Growth.’ And yes, I did get Mick to take the Amen Brain Scan Checklist last night. He found it interesting. His came out pretty much as I expected, with perhaps only a couple of answers differing from what I might have expected. But yes, it was different to mine, especially in certain areas. The ones to do … Continue reading →

He Stepped Up When It Mattered Most, Part 1

As I wrote about over in Pets, my mom’s battle with cancer and dementia ended last Thursday when she passed away peacefully in her sleep. I hate that this is my first blog back after my long absence from the Marriage Blog. I have some happier, snappier articles planned for the future, but given the circumstances this one seems most fitting. After all, regular readers know I was at a very low point because of all of this. So low in fact I thought I was facing a marriage crisis. The Crisis Defined But it turned out to be more … Continue reading →