To wish I’d known how crap and miserable being a lone parent is?

I love it. It's actively enjoyable, while being in an unequal relationship was actively soul-destroying. I love my family, and we have a network of other lone parents too, so we're not alone in our experience.

I’m not a lone parent but the reality of becoming a parent vs it being some ethereal idea made me admire single parents almost from the get go. Honestly I think it must be one of the hardest experiences to go through. I found the early years of being a parent extremely difficult and even lonely and that was with support and downtime. It is extremely difficult doing it alone.

It is bloody hard. People who haven't done it, have no idea just how hard it is. But your post reads like you don't have any happiness? What things bring you happiness currently? Perhaps you need some support to improve your outlook or implement some changes?

Sending love. I’m utterly miserable and struggling to see the point in my life at the moment because I agree it’s horrendous (and my children’s dad, while useless, does see them so I’m in an easier situation than you). I don’t have words of advice I’m afraid just wanted you to know you aren’t alone in hating this situation ❤️

I've been a single mum since mine were 8 months old and 2.6 years old. I moved to the area I'm in now fleeing DV & I don't have any family support. It's always just been us 3. Their 8 and 10 now

It was a lot harder when they were younger but I can hand on heart say I really do love it just being us 3. I have several friends in unhappy relationships though, if I didn't have them to remind me how terrible some relationships can be.... I'd probably wish i was in one 🤣🤣

Go in AIBU, you'll soon be glad your single 😅

I voted YABU because you said

think people kid themselves saying how great it is! I am lonely, miserable, have no money, getting old and feel old beyond my years, no free time to myself ever, haven’t even had sex in a decade

Some of us genuinely are happy being on our own with our children. I've had fwb over the years and ended things with my last one because he started talking about wanting a relationship with me.

I'm a lone parent too (as in, the children's father has completely disappeared and I'm single). It's extraordinarily difficult. People have absolutely no idea just how hard everything is.

No advice OP or even words of wisdom, I'm afraid. Just solidarity.

OP - I’m sorry to read this.

How old are your children? Over 10 by the sounds of it.

What about friends, do you have any nice friends you can spend time with?

Not trying to belittle your situation but trying to see if there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m a single parent though not a lone parent (edit - as in, I am single but the kids still have a relationship with their father)