Love More, Judge Less
“Why are you still single?” “Have you tried online dating?” “You should get yourself out there; hasn’t it been long enough?” “Don’t you want someone to be with on your kid-free nights?” “Do you think you’re being too picky?” I have been asked all of these questions by well-intentioned friends but whenever I respond, I
Dating as a single mom is way more difficult than I anticipated it would be. First, you need to find someone that you find attractive (physically, emotionally, intellectually). If the feeling is mutual, you have the added trial of figuring out if they are a good match for your kid. This is significantly harder. And there is no easy way to do it.
Fall is more challenging than Summer. This is just a truth. Summer is the time for eating tomatoes from the garden with balsamic vinegar and calling it dinner. For staying up a little late and chasing fireflies in the yard. Fall is none of these things. None. Of. Them.
The hours of 4 pm to 10 pm when my children go with their father and his family. Those are the longest six hours of my life, when I don’t have my children on Christmas Eve. Those six hours when I have no one around on Christmas Eve. When it is me. A bottle of wine. And my dog.
It’s November 16th and I’ve got Christmas presents for my kids and my nieces and (soon-to-be nephew) wrapped and packed to go. I am so not that mom!
We certainly have had some missteps, in particular once my daughter started school in the fall. But we recover and hug it out. I made it a practice to stand my ground as a parent, but to do so as gently as possible. And to readily admit my mistakes when I made them.
Suddenly, I could see a different future. One on my own with my daughter. I generated my own hope. I knew that I was on the right path.
Getting back into the dating scene after a divorce can be daunting, especially if you’re a mom. If you’re the one pursuing a mom, there are a few things you should know. Here’s a list of some of the Do’s and Don’ts of dating a single mom.
Here’s a glimpse into a few truths of mine from this single parent life. I clean when I have the time and energy but I’ve realized I’ve become someone who runs the dishwasher and doesn’t unload it promptly, let’s the dirty dishes pile up in the sink (and on the counter), eventually unloads the clean
The children shall be with the Wife on Mother’s Day and the Husband on Father’s Day. I never thought an official document would dictate how I spent Mother’s Day. Truthfully, I never thought any of the events over the past year would be my reality. But, here I am. A single mother of two boys.
