I’ve been seeing it on Facebook for months. States are going to start drug testing welfare recipients. My initial gut reaction is that this is a good thing. Why should my tax dollars support someone who sits home, does drugs and keeps popping out babies to get a check? Then the nice side of me gives me a little slap upside the head and points out that stereotypes such as these are why there is so much hate in the world. No, I don’t want to help support someone who is a drug addict. The flip side of that is … Continue reading →

If you haven’t heard about the Chick-fil-a controversy, you’ve probably been living under a rock. Chick-fil-a is a Christian based company that supports the biblical definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman. More importantly than what they believe or what I believe is, what are our children hearing? What do they believe? As a single mother I’ve had a fair amount of control over what Hailey is exposed to. I censor TV, movies, books, social media, to protect her. I’m not trying to protect her from differing opinions or lifestyles, once she leaves my home she … Continue reading →

We all want to do everything we can to keep our children from getting sick. We feel terrible for them, it’s no fun to be sick. When you are a single parent, a sick child can become a major issue, there is no one else to share the burden of missed time from work, and if you don’t have the sick leave to take, it can mean missing work without pay. So we fill our homes with everything we can find to stave off illness. Soaps, toothpaste and other personal hygiene items can be bought with anti bacterial agents. I … Continue reading →

I am a helicopter parent. I would like to blame that on being a single parent but I think I would have been a helicopter parent no matter what. They are different schools of thought on this type of hovering, but basically, it is seen as something that interferes with our children’s independence. Because we hover the kids don’t learn to make their own mistakes and fix things, we are always there to jump in and save the day. Now studies are seeing a new trend, kids who never leave home. This seems to be a result of several things, … Continue reading →

I’m on kind of a rant tonight, I heard something that has just made me see red. I live in Utah, which is a wonderful place, I love it here, but what I heard today has made me mad. It seems that the schools don’t want the graduating seniors to talk about what colleges they got accepted to or what scholarships they received. Why, you ask? Because it may make the other students feel bad. Are you kidding me? I’m typing this and I’m stunned. I am all for protecting our children from what we can protect them from and … Continue reading →

A recent study shows that people with children are happier than people without. Older and married parents are the happiest. Does this apply to single parents? I know it applies for me. There are days when I daydream about not being responsible for anyone but myself but the flip side of that is how empty my days would be without Hailey. While I don’t think people who don’t have children lead empty lives, I do think they miss out on a lot. I wouldn’t trade on home made Mothers Day card for a year of alone time. Yes, parenting, especially … Continue reading →

Happy Mother’s Day everyone. I hope that your day is filled with the joy of your children’s smiles and the love of your family. As a single mother Mother’s Day may not be all that I dreamed of when I first had a baby. Breakfast in bed, homemade cards and being doted on by a loving husband. The cards are still homemade, and I treasure every one of them. Most of the time I make breakfast and although Hailey tries to dote on me, she quickly gets bored with it and wants to do something she wants to do. That’s … Continue reading →

Recently there was a story in the news about a mother who is accused of putting her five year old daughter in a tanning bed. I don’t know if this woman is guilty or not but she certainly is fond of tanning. As a single mother I’ve had to take Hailey lots of places that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. When I went to the emergency room, not only did she go with me, she had to drive me, with only a learners permit because I was in too much pain to drive myself. I will never forget how frightened … Continue reading →

It’s a brand new year. Isn’t it funny how a certain date or event makes us strive to be better people? January 1st is just another day but the way our calendar is set up gives it significance. This year I’m thinking about what it means to be a single parent and what my mission is as Hailey’s mother. My daughter is eighteen now so the day to day hands on parenting is over, she no longer needs me to tie her shoes or wipe her nose. I still parent my child, I think you always do no matter how … Continue reading →

If you are a single parent chances are while all everyone else is out on the town celebrating you are at home with the kiddos. It’s time to start a new tradition. Have a New Years Eve party with the kids. If you have other single parent friends then you can all get together and celebrate with the kids. Have a little party, make sherbet punch and lots of finger foods. Make a Happy New year banner and hang it up. As part of the party have the kids make noisemakers and streamers. Toilet paper rolls filled with dried beans … Continue reading →