If life went to shit (romantically), did it get better?

[Plonkert]

Can’t see a future. Single mum, late 30s. Feel I’ve totally messed up on the relationship front.

God I hope so. Sending good vibes OP.

Late 30s, single mother of 3, have been since just after I turned 30.

I honestly don’t care any more - the level of freedom I have with not having to consider another adult is something I won’t be giving up.

Especially one that isn’t related to my daughters, and therefore doesn’t have the level of emotional investment in them that I do. Blended families are nightmare fuel (I’m a step child on both sides; funnily enough I never came first with either parent because “kids leave home one day and then I’ll be alone”).

There is nothing a man can give me that I can’t or don’t already give myself.

Similar to yellow. I've been single for 13ys. It really doesn't bother me.

Single parent for the last 9 1/2 years totally wouldn't have it any other way. I love the freedom we have and I can't see me getting with someone anytime soon.

Hang in there, it gets a lot better.

Single mother of three at 40. Met my lovely now DH at 43 and married at 46. Still going strong ten years later. There's definitely still hope ( met him the good old fashioned way too, not OLD!)

Yes! Love this! I used to think people were lying when they said this sort of thing but I seem to have reached this sweet spot myself. Just took some time to mourn my old life. My new life is so much better though, I was just a very overly sentimental person.

@Pinkjacket22 Yep. It doesn’t help that almost every friend I have is in a shit, dead marriage that they are tied to for financial reasons, doing all the things that I, a single mother do, with the added strain of doing all the shit work for another adult, and all the resentment and bitterness that comes along with that. And I’m just over here, light and airy, skipping to my own damn tune 24/7.

Plus all the people on MN in shit marriages, on other social media etc.

Reality is that people are transient creatures, always on the move, and we get tied to each other by our biological need to reproduce. It never ends well; and even when it seems to, there’s always multiple hidden affairs, abuse etc.

No. Sorry.