Ms. Single Mama

The big announcement…

mssinglemama — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:36:30 +0000

We have some rather big news, coming in a teeny, tiny package. More details on Beauty and the Biker.

xoxo

Alaina

Love from a reader and another single mom.

mssinglemama — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:01:09 +0000

I love hearing from you, my readers. I receive so many, it is hard to respond to all of them. Know that I do try.

This email from Madison had to be shared. The fact that my blog helps all of you feel more confident, empowered, and inspired fills me with so much hope and happiness. You are all beautiful. You will all be loved again (by your true match). And, you are NOT alone.

Here’s Madison’s email… And she even attached a picture.

Dear Alaina,

I stumbled onto your blog late one night while I was researching single mom dating statistics. lol. Classic right? A lonely single mom looking for validation from the web. I found validating and warm reassurance while reading your posts. Your positive attitude and honesty about your journey is inspiring. Sometimes I feel like I will never make it through this deep and dark era as I face motherhood alone. Then sometimes I hear/read stories like yours that give me a little push that I so badly need in the positive direction.

My name is Madison. I am 24 years old and single mom to two beautiful twin girls.. I never planned on being a single mom of course, but I was young when I got married and put up with an abusive husband for one year. I found myself with newborn twin daughters to raise at 20 and I somehow have made it this far. I am happy, brave, hopeful for our future but sometimes I need assurance that I am doing ok. I waitress and work as a secretary at a hospital and when my girls start Kindergarten this year, I can go back to school as I wont be paying a fortune on daycare anymore.

Between sleepless nights with sick little ones, and crying in my closet while I eat my secret stash of peanut butter M&M’s, I have become a real strong lady. I have survived these last 4 years by a customers generous 15.00 tip and by moms like you that stay positive. Thank you so very much mssinglemama, for giving me hope and for sharing your happiness with the web!

xo.

Madison

How do you let go? On shared custody.

mssinglemama — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 01:29:08 +0000

One of the most challenging aspects of single motherhood, or single parenthood, is adjusting to shared custody.

In many cases, as mine was until recently, you are legally obligated to send your child into your ex-spouse’s home regardless of whether or not your gut instinct is screaming at you that something is just “not right” about a step-sibling in the house or a step-parent or even their biological parent. You, in most cases, have to pack your child’s bag, put him into his or her little car seat and drive them directly into the Lion’s Den. Your child comes home, an emotional wreck. In Benjamin’s case, filthy, hungry and exhausted to boot.

Now, I am a bit jaded–from my own personal ex-experience being so downright awful–but there are obviously many situations that aren’t nearly as bad. There are dreamy ex-spouses who actually communicate with you for the children’s sake, drop them off on time and pick them up on time. Feed them, clothe them, support them and continue to be a supportive co-parent by always putting the children first. I have yet to meet one of these, but I hear they exist.

So, what do you do when you have no options legally? In my case, it took something actually happening to Benjamin for us to be able to receive full custody with zero unsupervised visits at his father’s home. I can’t get into details, but it has been a harrowing ordeal, to say the least. All of those years my gut instinct was right. I regret ever sending him there. I regret not acting like a mad woman and hiring a fierce attorney to keep him from ever spending the night there. But, I can’t go back in time, only forward… and am relieved that it is over in a sense. No more sharing for this mama.

What advice do you have for each other on surviving the ex hand over? Any coping mechanisms you have learned that you can share with new single moms? Or do you just want to vent.

Do so in the comments. Can’t wait to read your thoughts on this.

A New Relationship: How to Tell the Kids

mssinglemama — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 14:45:17 +0000

My single mama friend called me last night.

“Hey lady, I really need your advice on something,” she sounded fearful and scared. I thought the worst. Maybe she and her new man were breaking up.

“Charles and I are definitely going to get engaged,” they just know – as Seth and I did- that they are meant to be. And it’s lovely.

“That’s so exciting! I’m so happy for you. So, what’s the problem?”

“He will be moving in with us in December. So, it’s a long ways away, but I’m scared about how to tell Sarah. It’s always just been the two of us. What will it be like? Will she be upset? How did you tell Benjamin?”

She sounded so worried and concerned. Just this fact alone, told me her heart and head were in the right place. If a mother cares that much about her child’s transition into a new relationship, all will definitely be fine. I have met too many mothers over the years who put their relationships over their children. Welcoming, with open arms, ex-boyfriends who abused them or men who cheated on them back into their lives and their child’s lives. It’s upsetting, to say the least.

My friend’s daughter, Sarah, is in Kindergarten. A sweet, quiet, little girl who has never seen her mother with any boyfriend, not even her father. Here was my advice to her:

Read the rest here, on Beauty and the Biker.

Which is worse? Single motherhood or an unhappy marriage?

mssinglemama — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 20:27:28 +0000

This is a question I have attempted to address head on in several past posts. But now that I am blogging here less frequently and spending all of my blogging energy on Beauty and the Biker, I wanted to leave a post up for a while that would spark comments and hopefully a vibrant discussion.

So, please chime in with your opinion:

Which is worse?

Being unhappily married or being a single mother?

For you? And finally, for the kids?

My answer – as you all may know – is that it is far easier to be a single mother than to be unhappily married. But, everything is relative. I had an emotionally abusive ex-husband who contributed nothing into the relationship. I also only had one child. From where I was sitting, being away from him was the only viable option toward ever finding happiness. I just knew it would never work between us.

There have been studies which have found that children raised in happy homes are happier, regardless of if those homes are one parent or two parent households.

What about you? What are your thoughts on this?

New Leaf Necklaces (the Next Generation)

mssinglemama — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:10:44 +0000

Designed by me this time, inspired by you.

The new leaf necklaces are upgraded and made with pure sterling silver and 14K gold charms. And from what I can tell, the only jewelry created just for single mothers. We all wear them together and I believe they give us strength and inspiration. Even if we just know that other single mothers are wearing them.

What the charms mean:

The larger leaf – you
The smaller leaf – your child (and you can order extras if you have more than one)
The swallow – freedom from your ex and your past marriage
The heart – the hope in finding new love or having found it

I hope you love these as much as I do. Get your orders in now before Christmas! Shop here in our Etsy shop.

Also, don’t miss Seth’s hand-made leather bracelets for the man in your life. They’re pretty awesome.

Have you been over to Beauty and the Biker yet?

It’s my new blog about blended families after divorce and re-marriage, and I am still doing lots of thrift give aways. Up for grabs now is this cute zebra clutch/wallet.

Click here and visit the post. Leave a comment and you’re entered to win.

When do you give up on single mom dating?

mssinglemama — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 12:53:04 +0000

Here’s an interesting question from a Facebook fan. This question, by the way, could have come from me a few years ago, or from many single mom friends I know who are struggling with dating right now.

The question is from Sarah, a dating single mom…

Alright, I’m about to give up! I’ve done the online dating thing. I meet GREAT guys, but none that I click with. They have everything I’m looking for, but there is zero passion and zero chemistry… And it seems like I’m the only one who notices it. The one person I clicked with is separated (which I kinda have a rule about not dating people who are not completely “un-married,” which I broke) and he was really scarred from his marriage.
I ended it because I knew it was doomed – he needed time to heal. I raise my daughter solo (bio dad decided to bail totally 2.5 years ago) and I’m a teacher, so I have no time to go out and hope that Mr. Right will stumble into my life. I feel like I’m a catch (I mean this in the most humble way possible), but I can’t seem to find my soulmate! What gives? Please offer me some advice before I join a convent!

My advice to her…

1. Keep going if you can.

Dating is tedious and painful and downright annoying sometimes, especially when you are waiting and hanging on for that big spark (rightfully so). But, it can be fun. Hear me out on this one. If dating is not fun for you–change your mindset. It is a chance for you to go out with your friends and meet new people (I recommend group dates on those precious Saturday nights when the sitter’s watch is ticking). It is also a chance for you to get yourself back out there.

2. Date for fun, not to find a husband. Re-align what you expect out of dating.

If your goal in dating is to find “The One” and meet your husband, you may be setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. Also, you could be coming off as too desperate to the men you do see. When I posted my OkCupid ad–the one Seth found–it said, in no uncertain terms, that I was not looking for a serious relationship. I wanted a person I could trust and have fun with, that could possibly lead to other things. My frame of mind was relaxed and I understood that, for me, dating was fun! And then, BAM, I met him and of course, knew right away he was the end of the line for this mama.

When you do re-align your mindset and define your dating goal in more realistic terms you can’t lose because you end up having more fun. And that’s really what it’s all about. Fun.

3. Remember to date yourself first.

Dont’ ever forget my old advice to date yourself first. Treat yourself as you would want him to treat you. Read up on an old post I wrote on this subject– would you date yourself?

Other oldie but goodie posts on dating as a single mom. I know these will help:

What about that first date? Tips on first dates as a single mom.
I want to date but I can’t: a video response from me to you on this topic.
And this is my collection of single mom dating advice posts and videos. It’s all here on one nice page.

Hope this helps, my Lovelies. Keep your chins up. And keep yourself out there or take that much needed time to yourself to just re-energize.

New Leaf Jewelry

mssinglemama — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:21:56 +0000

I’m bringing it back. But I need your input… click here and chime in.

Did you choose to be a single mother?

mssinglemama — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 12:45:16 +0000

A while back I asked you, my lovely readers, for some stories.

I have been writing here for years and now it is your turn. I want to hear from you–why are you a single mother? Why did you choose this path? Or was it chosen for you? How have you evolved? What are your greatest challenges? What are your greatest achievements?

I still believe, in my heart, that without my experience as a single mother, without taking a stand for myself and leaving a bad marriage–I would not have found the happiness I have today. There’s just no way. We choose our paths. Each of us is responsible for the decisions we make in our lives. We can’t control what happens to us, but we can control how we react. And becoming a single mother forges something in your heart that either brings you down or makes you stronger and better for it.

This post is from Nancy. Leave her your comments and cheer her on. I think this is beautiful.

On choosing single motherhood because of persistent tug in the gut.

By Nancy from BC, Canada

The single mama life came about to an unlikely target a few years ago. That target was me. Coming from a traditional, Portuguese Catholic family where life was mapped out for me- ie. - get married, make babies (yes, much like in My Big Fat Greek Wedding), it never really dawned on me that I’d be in this little pickle.

I suppose my streak of independence and stubborness and my sense of resilience, determination and positivity bit me in the butt, which ultimately contributed to the earth shaking news – that I wanted to leave my marriage.

I remember the first time I thought of leaving. I was washing my dishes on a beautiful summer day. My kids were happily muddling around the house when the thought crept inside my brain. Though I had spent numerous years in an unhappy state cheating myself thinking it was normal to live unhappily, I never gave the thought serious attention until that day. There was a brief moment of exhilaration or as Oprah would say, I had experienced an “a-ha” moment.

That moment quickly came crashing down when the over active left side of my brain poured out thoughts like, “That’s crazy,” or “Why leave? I have a

husband, two healthy kids, a house, money in the bank,” or the most powerful and dominating thought, “Everyone will think I’m crazy.” As I’m writing this, I can’t believe how this fake and debilitating thought has crippled so many decisions in my life. The thought to stay safe, do what I’ve been taught, and to not change. That moment I experienced while washing the dishes entered my body like the plague because no matter what I tried, whether it was a vacation for just the two of us or the counselling sessions we attended, the thought wouldn’t go away. I desperately tried to feel something to make me stay but that feeling never came.

I took a very long time to physically leave the marriage. Since my departure, I’ve had some low lows and some high highs, but one thing that has always kept me afloat is the tremendous support I feel from my friends and family and my kids. I’ve learned that showing support to someone about anything they want to do can really breathe new life into their lives. There are no crazy ideas, only brave ideas. There will always be a few people who feed off of gossip nourishing their own insecurities, but those people do not outweigh the ones who are knocking on my door and surprising me with a triple fudge brownie after a bout of sobbing or the ones who laugh with me over a glass of wine or the ones who come over and surprise me by washing my dishes and cooking dinner.

I’ve finally retired the negative thought “Everyone will think I’m crazy” and replaced it with “I could be crazy but I’m healthy, strong and happy. I’m really, really happy.” And if indeed I’m headed to a mental institution, well at least I’ll have a smile on my face. Besides, I hear they serve good cookies.

Am I an evil step-mother?

mssinglemama — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:57:02 +0000

Am I an evil step-mother? I sure feel like one sometimes.

Read about it here. Blending families isn’t easy. We’re tackling some tough issues on the new blog and hoping you can chime in with any advice or encouragement.