Tag Archives: personal strength

Who’s Going to Take My Side?

Chances are, if you are a single parent with more than one child, you often feel the reality of being out-numbered. With one child, you at least often have the 1:1 ration to contend with, but the minute a single parent has more than one, he or she is the minority. And this can take some strength, stubbornness and flexibility… My three children are pros at “ganging up on mom”—whether it is in an attempt to get me to an order a pizza or a boycott or riot for some other reason—it is seldom, if ever that someone takes my … Continue reading →

Can a Single Parent Be TOO Strong?

One of the comments I get regularly from people—new people I meet and those who are already in my life is that I must be “strong.” This has never set completely comfortably with me—not because I cannot take a supposed compliment—but more because I know how “not strong” I often feel and I also fear that many of these people might be assuming that I am so strong as to not need help or compassion. I assume that I am sending off such a strong competency “vibe” that people never bother to assume I might need a little help… I … Continue reading →

Strong Enough to Withstand Judgment

As a single parent, I admit that I do sometimes feel judged–judged by teachers, by my children’s father and his new partner, by other people, and certainly by my own children. The truth is, however, as long as I am doing the best that I can, I also need to learn how to be strong enough to withstand the judgment and be true to myself regardless… I know that for many of us this is easier said than done. I admit that it irks me when I hear that my parenting is being questioned and picked apart by my kids’ … Continue reading →