Being a single parent can be tough
Saturday, June 27th, 2015
Being a single parent can be very hard. The Guardian published an article around Motherhood. It stated how women might think twice about having children if they knew how hard it was to be single on a low income. Being an experienced charity, we have witnessed that both single mother’s and father’s with low incomes have a hard life financially and emotionally. Although many people would cherish the blessing of having a child, there is still some room to think about how you would support yourself and the child financially. After all, it is the child that should always come first. The article states:
‘It is hard for all mothers, even those who desperately wanted children, but especially hard for single mothers on low incomes. We can’t afford childcare, can’t take a sick day, can’t take a rest unless our child falls asleep. There is no one to share the enchanting moments and tantrums with, no one to read a book to our child while we have a bath, no one to reassure us that we’re doing just fine.’
There can be magical moments such as, your child’s first words, lovingly holding your hand and wanting to be in your arms. However, there are some tough times that we need to always take into consideration. Taking care of them when they’re ill, drawings all over the wall or demanding their favourite foods or toys. It is much better going into motherhood knowing this. The article touches on how the difficulty of motherhood is hardly exposed or talked about. This shouldn’t be the case. If the reality of motherhood and especially single motherhood is not talked about, how can women make informed decisions? ‘If we don’t make it known that most happiness studies say that mothers are no happier than childless women ? sometimes quite the reverse ? then women without children will always unnecessarily feel bereft.’ However, we understand that life is not always straight forward. Being single is a factor you may not have determined, which is understandable. This article is wanting to make people aware that motherhood can be hard, so if you can, be somewhat more prepared.
You may agree, having a child when there is stability can be a less daunting situation. You do not want to be in a predicament where you cannot provide for yourself and your child. This is not a plea to never have children. It is about thinking responsibly and tactfully. The enjoyment of being financially stable, having a nice home and a child can only result into more positivity within your life.
Leave a Reply