Monday, November 17, 2008

The reality of single parenting--Part 1


I began September with such high hopes for my blog and the topic of  single parents.  I was entering a season of my life where my husband was going to be gone for the fall and wanted to use this time to really connect with "single parenting."  By pure definition, I am not a single parent; I am still married.  However, this was my chance to get as close as I could to the day to day struggle my single parent friends and clients endure.   I  would experience around 80 days in three months by myself.

Perfect, I thought.  I may not be able to identify completely, but it would take me to my limit as a parent; living alone, disciplining alone, transporting alone, waking up in the middle of the night alone, trick-or-treating alone, eating alone, watching t.v. alone, praying with my children alone, watching soccer games alone.  Just plain living life alone.

I am now at day 59 and I have had no time  to reflect on a single thought...it has been pure survival.    I am sitting down for the first time, only because my mother-n-law is out here helping with the children and I have a night off.   

A night to hear my own thoughts and my own heart.  And you know what, it is weary, very weary.  And I am so thankful that in reality I am not single parenting and that this is only a season in my life.

The next posts will be dedicated to all of my friends and clients who do "life" alone as a parent.  Please, share with me your thoughts and refine mine if necessary!