I grew up in a single-mum household. It wasn’t easy for any of us. But since having kids, I’ve come to appreciate – really appreciate – mums of all shapes and sizes.
I was re-listening to a Chris Rock sketch about dads (from “Bigger and Blacker“) recently. In it, he jokes about how everyone raps about mum, how dads nag their kids to tell mum how great they look, and then he says:
[The real daddies] … make your world a better, safer place, and what does daddy get? The big piece of chicken. That’s all daddy gets is the big piece of chicken.
It’s true – some dads may feel a bit anonymous in the chaos of family life… but nobody does it tougher than a single working mum with young kids: feeling that sinking feeling every time you close the gate behind you at childcare drop-off in the morning, juggling the demands of work, rushing to get to childcare for the pickup, getting the meal on the table, getting the kids washed, changed, ready for bed. It doesn’t stop.
And so many don’t have huge support networks. Grandparents are often divorced themselves and strewn around the country – or world… much like our brothers and sisters.
Yes, there are so many beautiful moments along the way – and they make it all worthwhile.
But I just wanted to write something, send out some virtual moral support and a huge dose of respect… and say:
Single mums, you’re amazing.
Photo courtesy Alain Bachellier.
If you enjoyed the read, please leave a comment. Feel free to follow me on Twitter
