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…
Social issues
My Writing In Review: 2018
2018 hasn’t been quite as busy writing wise as 2017 was; thirty posts, not including this one. I did make a baby though, so it’s not too bad going. The year started with a post about new years resolutions – a promise to myself to be a little more selfish when it came to who…
Christmas: The time of giving
I’m not much of a religious being, but I am political and I’ve been feeling quite political of late. Maybe it’s all the stories of how in the UK – a country with the fifth largest economy in the world – rough sleepers have increased 169% since 2010 (not including all the other types of…
A Message From Single Mums To Shaun Bailey
If you’re a single mum worth her salt then you will have seen the comments from the Tory London Mayor candidate – Shaun Bailey – and be suitably incensed. For those not in the know, he’s churning out the tired old stereotypes most people have bored of. The ones about single mothers being after the…
Another Reading of the Single Mum Research
You might have seen in the news recently that a study has just been released about the long term effects of growing up with a single parent (read mum). It’s the usual kind of gumpf – single parents are useless, blah, blah, blah. Only this one claimed to have long term data to prove it,…
The Grenfell Tower Fire and Politics
It’s been almost a week since the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, in which over 79 people are believed to have died. There is something about the terror of 127 homes becoming an inferno in a matter of minutes that rips to the core of you. I’ve read the stories, watched the footage and viewed the…
How The Election Campaign Made Me Smile Again
I was child free this weekend, the world was my oyster. It was my first truly free weekend since I’ve had my son. My parents have taken him when I’ve been on work-trips and they had him while I was at a friends hen-do and wedding, but never just so I could mooch around. I felt…
The Unwanted Guest
Bounce, bounce, bounce, goes the ball. Hitting the patio, over and over again. It’s not me. It’s not my son. Despite it being the hottest day of the year so far, we are locked up, inside the house. “You’re clever and intelligent but sometimes you do stupid things. Don’t do the stupid thing today.” The ball…
The Why Phase With My Toddler
We’ve been in grips of the why phase for some time now. “Why didn’t we run for the bus?” “Why have you got lines on your face?” “Why don’t some people have beds?” “Why did I wear a skirt?” “Why is daddy ill?” “Why do you want to go to bed?” These are just some…