To think being single should be celebrated more than getting married?

Indeed! Being single is massively underrated. Especially for women.

Lots of single parents out there doing a better job raising children than 2 parents with a crappy relationship which they are modelling to their kids.

It’s a very active choice for many people

Why does being single need celebrating? I don't get that. It's your choice, or the fact you haven't met someone yet. Neither need actual celebrating.

And the single mum celebrating is even more questionable. Why? Sympathy if husband has died. Why should it be celebrated if you had poor choice re the father you chose for your children?

Same, I'm not a single mum but I have a very active 10m old baby that hates napping and even with the support of my husband I'm exhausted. I often think about how much harder it must be for single mums.

Celebrations are about milestones imo, getting married or reaching the anniversary of that marriage is a milestone, the same way birthdays are, passing exams & graduation, driving tests, new jobs, promotions - single people are as likely to have those milestones as married people. There's no fixed point to really celebrate being single (though I have known people celebrate their divorce and subsequent anniversaries of it).

Now if you're talking about not being written off as a person because you're single, then I agree, because I have been. More so as a single parent. Being married or part of a couple isn't 'better' or less valid than being single, it's just a different choice.

For the same reason we celebrate birthdays, even though we all eventually die?
Something coming to an end doesn’t mean it never existed.

Given most people don't celebrate it it's a fair assumption.

It’s a fairly safe assumption, to be fair.

Yeah that would be great, they could all be bank holidays.

You can only speak for yourself, you have no idea what “most” people think or even who they are. So best. Just share your own point of view really.

Because initially being single is not a choice it’s just what you are, until you’re not anymore.

You celebrate the change in status, otherwise you have to celebrate every day.

Moving to a married status is an event a change in your status and public position.

How do you celebrate being single when you were also single yesterday/ last week last year?

You can celebrate becoming single through divorce if that's your thing and people do. (Sadly imo.)

You could celebrate the anniversary each year of becoming single I suppose.

But celebrating being single would be like throwing a house warming party for a house you've lived in for 5 years.

Moving house is an event. Still living in a house isn't.

being married is also a state of being which at any point may or may not continue… you could have a big wedding at age 30 and then find yourself separated at age 31. Look at the relationships forum, women posting every day about how they were happily married until they saw his phone, tried to contact him at work, saw the bank statement etc. By your logic, why celebrate weddings at all, at statistically there’s a good chance the marriage won’t last?

As others said, the people getting married organise the celebration (or don't for some that elope). You choose what you celebrate. You can't make other people celebrate it.

Not everyone has their choice to get married celebrated or any 'glory'. I was openly mocked, got asked if I was pregnant or having immigration trouble, about 5 years after I got married, I had a family member apologise to me because they had thought very poorly of our decision & had held a very poor opinion of me for a time because of it. I've had it more than once said to me that my marriage was to get British citizenship or benefits... I think it would be very easy to be celebrated more than that.

While that may sound extreme, it's really not that unusual for people to talk poorly behind the backs of people getting married - they may be at the party, but they aren't really celebrating it. That kind of thing can't be forced and really, other people celebrating it doesn't really matter.

"Choosing to focus on yourself"

😂😂 My God, what a hero you are

That’s exactly what someone unable to find someone willing to marry them will say 😂

But that’s ok op. As a pp said, people who are getting married throw the party and invite their friends and family to celebrate.

so do the same. The issue is for many people being single isn’t a choice. It’s due to a bad relationship ending, or not able to find a good partner, it is seldom well I could be with this great person and get married, but I will chose to be single.

@mumofoneAlonebutokay I get where you’re coming from as a former single mum but in this day and age anyone who judges single parents is a twat. Isn’t it just easier and cheaper to repeat that in your head?

The whole idea is weird tbh. Weddings are a celebration of a milestone, two people starting a new life together and making a commitment. It's about love and companionship, it's natural to celebrate that as social creatures.

Being single is absolutely fine and "valid" (how I loathe the crass overuse of that term) but it's difficult to see how it is comparable in terms of generating something for others to mark with a celebration. If you want to have a party, have one

Living with a man is much braver though as you're far more likely to be hurt or murdered by them.

Choosing not to ignore that and settle should be celebrated but married women don't like being told they settled.

Well I'm planning on throwing a 'Becoming Single' party once the house is sold and ExP and I can finally go our separate ways 😎

It would be far better if being a non-resident parents who doesn't support their kids financially/emotionally became socially unacceptable. Coupled with enforced payments and effective penalties for trying to avoid payments, this would be really supportive of single parents.

I think its taken a personal turn, didn't mean to derail the thread!

🥰 thank you for saying i sound like a good mum - I'm sure you are too, and sometimes people don't always get what they want in terms of how they parent

Sometimes that isn't a terrible thing though, imo x

Nooo of course, being single is something to be celebrated too, agreed with op