As the coronavirus crisis strips back family support systems it’s become clear who’s been holding the fort: women. Women have absorbed the bulk of the economic and emotional impacts, the additional childcare and the home management responsibilities. In some circles these additional burdens have led to coupled mothers claiming they ‘feel like a single mum’. Whilst many have indeed experienced some of…
Mental health
Exiting the Ashes of Lockdown
My counter tells me its been 4220 hours (or is it days???) since my little family of three went into lockdown. As restrictions have eased, things have become easier for many, but looking at social media tells you the difference in experiences of many this summer. Of course we aren’t still living in full lockdown,…
How to support the campaign for legal rights for single parents
I’ve been writing and campaigning about single parent issues for years. The stories of discrimination and stigma within our community are plentiful, as are the stories of bravery, strength and fun. Single parenting isn’t a curse or a synonym for hardship. However, it is all encompassing. It’s a life built on independence and with it come…
2019: My Writing in Review
It’s been a year of much writing, but not so much on my blog. Gone are the days of churning out one post a week. Partly because time is scarce, partly because there’s less emotional turmoil to digest and spit out in black and white. It’s a cliche to talk about my journey as a single…
Acknowledging the Abuse
You hear mention of domestic abuse frequently. Perhaps we all think we know what it is and that we’d be aware if it was happening to us. But, do you know what? We often don’t. A friend asked me once if I thought my ex was abusive. I think she asked this not long after…
Grief: A Year On
Over the year, my grief has evolved into a being of it’s very own. Burrowed deep, it’s taken up residence in my soul. Sometimes it rests there for a week, other times it can’t sit still. The taming process – long and hard. Now she rarely escapes in public. Unless you look beneath the flesh…
The Holiday
How’s the holiday? Was it good? I’m asked. Having fun? It’s an innocent question, from interested friends. As simple to answer as it is to ask, surely? But I have no idea where to start. Good? Bad? A mix of both? It wasn’t in the realms of either. Holidays are for relaxing. After all, sinking…
Raising Two Kids Solo: The Reality
My path to raising two children solo is slightly unique; we are what is termed a ‘mixed family’. After divorcing my first child’s father, I decided to go it alone and have a second via donor conception. So you could say – more than most – that I chose to parent two as a solo…
Recovering From A Breakdown
Trigger warning, talks about mental ill-health, baby loss, separation and the struggles of motherhood. Recently I saw an incredible piece of performance art by Bryony Kimmings; I’m a Phoenix, Bitch. It had me in tears almost from the first second I walked through the door (which admittedly was about fifteen minutes after the show had…
Why Single Mums Are So Stressed
The working title for this started off as why single mums shout so much, but then I realised other single mums have it more together than me and don’t necessarily shout like someone possessed. Perhaps not all of us are more stressed than the average mum either, and apologies if you’re sitting there thinking, I’m…